A total of 30 officers from the Uganda Police Force have successfully completed a five-month Basic Canine Handling and Dog Care Course at the Nsambya Barracks Canine Headquarters.
The graduation ceremony was presided over by Ubaldo Bamunoba, Assistant Inspector General of Police and Chief Political Commissar, who represented the Inspector General of Police as chief guest.
Addressing the graduates, Bamunoba emphasized the critical role of K9 units in modern policing, describing trained police dogs as a “force multiplier” in crime detection and prevention.
“These dogs are doing a great job,” he said, urging officers to continue sharpening their skills to improve service delivery and strengthen crime-fighting efforts within communities.
He also encouraged the officers to pursue canine handling as a professional career path, stressing the importance of discipline, patriotism, respect for institutional systems and maintaining healthy lifestyles. Bamunoba cautioned the graduates against alcoholism, drug abuse and irresponsible conduct.
Meanwhile, Martin Mugume, Commandant of the K9 Unit, outlined the comprehensive scope of the five-month training programme.
Participants were equipped with skills in explosive detection, basic veterinary science, human trailing and tracking, obstacle and agility training, scent discrimination, suspect identification, crime scene examination and the integration of trained dogs into criminal investigations.
The course is aimed at boosting the operational efficiency of police K9 units and ensuring officers are well-prepared to deploy trained canines across a range of law enforcement operations.
