A total of 60 police officers from the Forensics Directorate, have today concluded a 2 weeks skilling and retooling course at the Directorate of ICT ‘s Research, Development and Innovation Centre at Kikandwa in Wakiso district.
The participants were drawn from all policing regions across the country and ranged from the ranks of Police Constable (PC) to Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP).
Speaking to course participants, the AG Director Forensic Services, SP Andrew Mubiru, urged the officers to appreciate that their roles do not end at crime scenes.
“In upgrading your capabilities and knowledge which we refer to as up skilling, we give you an understanding of the new technologies that are coming through and we emphasize the issues of meticulousness, being thorough at the work you do because you are the start of the criminal justice process,” SP Mubiru said.
He added, “You are a key support element in our investigation processes. Therefore, you are required to have a high ethical and moral standard because you are dealing with an area where you are your own supervisor at the scene of crime. If you are recover an exhibit or anything of evidential value like money, nobody is going to be there to superintend over you in terms of what you do. Next you should be able to move on your own principles. So, be ethical, professional and conduct yourself with high level of integrity. “
Be truthful, he emphasized.
“2 Corinthians 13:8 says we cannot go against the truth but we have to stand for the truth. Forensics stands for the truth as part and parcel of the ethos of the Uganda Police Force,” he added.
Ms Lucy Ladira, the Adviser for Criminal Justice at the Justice and Order Sector (JLOS) while presiding over the pass out of participants, told them, to put the knowledge acquired from the training into good practice for the good benefit of the community and achieve justice. She urged them to always be current and learn new things since technology keeps changing. She urged them to be good record keepers. Ms Ladira pledged to continue supporting the directorate with up to date tools to gather evidence. These tools, she said, include SOCO kits and motorcycles among.