Kidepo police roll out sub-county policing model eight years later

By John Bosco Akore

Police in Kidepo region have rolled out the sub-county policing model targeting sub-counties, municipalities and town councils fully functional police station

The Sub-County Policing Model (SCPM) was officially introduced following a directive by President Yoweri Museveni on November 19, 2019, during the 25th Annual Police Council meeting to decentralize security service and combat rural crime.

However, since its introduction closed to eight years ago, police not only in Kidepo region but the entire county have been struggling to enforce this initiative due to a lack of man powers and land for the establishment of police stations.

This left 44 out 66 Sub-counties in Kidepo region only, covering Abim, Kaabong, Karenga, Kotido district and Kotido Municipality operating without a police station.

However, communities and leaders from the affected sub-counties now have a reason to smile as police rolls out the initiative eight years after its inception.

ASP Kalisto Narucha, the Kidepo Regional Police Liaison Officer, said the roll out followed the recent deployment of over 250 probational police constables to the region and willingness by local communities and leaders to donate land for the construction of a police station.

Under the Sub-county Policing Model, 18 officers, including an Officer in Charge (OC Station), general duty patrol staff, Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) personnel, Crime Intelligence Officers, Child and Family Protection Unit (CFPU) staff, and community liaison officers would be deployed to each sub-county, Municipality and town council police station.

The sub-county policing model, according to Narucha, would help improve response to cattle raids, illegal firearms, and land disputes that have long affected the Karamoja sub-region.

Narucha appealed to the local leaders and the general public to embrace the initiative and partner with the Police in fighting crime.