Don't turn police into a punching bag- AIGP Kasingye warns retired officers

The Chief Political Commissar of the Police force, AIGP Asan Kasingye has warned retired officers against turning the institution into a punching bag for criticizing.

AIGP Kasingye made the remarks as a total of 278 police officers retired from the active service of the Police force at a function held at the Police headquarters in Naguru.

“When some of you retire, you criticize the force as if you have never been part of it. I am not saying to don’t bring ideas but don’t bring down the force,”Kasingye told the retirees.

The Police’s Chief Political Commissar warned the retiring officers that even in retirement, they ought to adhere to the oath of secrecy they swore while joining the force, adding that they are still under the command of the president as the commander in chief of the armed forces.

“It is an ideological issue on how we conduct ourselves when we go out there. Even if you retire, the commander in chief is still in charge of you and bringing disrepute to the police force is not good. You should keep the sanctity of the police force because the institution is bigger than all of us.”

“You should not criticize but rather advise where thing have gone wrong and this will help us improve the image of the force.”

In the past, a number of retired police officers have cried foul after being neglected, despite having served the force for a number of years.

Speaking about the same, AIGP Kasingye said the Chief Political Commissariat and the Human Resource Directorate will from now keep track of all the retired police officers so as they are not forgotten.

“We have started a system that will ensure that those who retired remain as part of the Uganda Police family. We have asked DPCs and RPCs to identify retired officers in their areas so they join them during moments of happiness and moments of sorrow to show that they are still part of us. We should never forget our officers,”Kasingye said.

A total of 278 officers officially retired from the active service of the force and for the first time, Police organized a decent sendoff for them unlike in the past.

Among the retirees were three Senior Commissioners of Police (SCPs) who included Dennis Odongpiny, the former chairman of Police disciplinary Court.

The group also comprised  four officers at the rank of Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners, 11 Superitendants, 38 Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs), 34 Inspectors of Police (IPs), 41 Assistant Inspectors of Police (AIPs), 50 Sergeants (SGTs), 42 Corporals and 37 Police Constables among others.

These were retired after clocking the mandatory retirement age of 60 years, whereas other applied to be retired voluntarily due to various reasons including sickness.