The police have urged communities to report criminal activities to law enforcement agencies instead of taking the law into their own hands through mob justice.
Speaking to Bbeg Media, the Community Liaison and Community Policing Commander at Police Headquarters in Naguru, SSP Dr Aisha Kayongo, said community leaders have a critical role to play in crime prevention and should work closely with the police.
“I still wonder why some community leaders, including religious leaders, do not report crime to the police. You need to work with us to combat crime,” Kayongo said.
She reminded local leaders, religious leaders and opinion leaders that crime occurs within the communities where they live and work. She said they should actively participate in efforts to prevent and fight crime.
Kayongo linked the recent mob killing of rugby player Sydney Gongodyo to the failure of local communities to promptly report the incident to the police before members of the public took matters into their own hands.
She said the Uganda Police Force, whose mandate is to protect and serve the public, has established area command posts across the country to handle different categories of cases, including criminal and family-related matters.
“The public should make use of these structures whenever they need assistance,” she said.
Kayongo expressed concern that many communities still fail to report incidents to the police.
She said the police would continue providing toll-free emergency numbers for the public to report crimes and other emergencies.
However, she acknowledged that response delays can sometimes occur and advised communities to work closely with local leaders while avoiding unlawful actions in the name of maintaining law and order.
Kayongo noted that emergency contacts such as 999 are intended to help communities quickly communicate with the police and improve crime response efforts.
She encouraged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious individuals or activities to the authorities as a way of reducing crime in their areas.
Kayongo also commended President Museveni for supporting crime prevention efforts through investments in CCTV surveillance systems and other logistical resources.
She said the surveillance infrastructure has helped reduce highway robberies and strengthened investigations into serious crimes, including murder and other criminal activities.
According to Kayongo, stronger communication between communities and area police commands would improve case management and reduce pressure on district and regional police offices.
