Mbale: Police officers get skills in dealing with gender based violence cases

A total of 15 police officers in Mbale district have been equipped with skills on how to deal with gender based violence and violence against children cases.

The two day workshop was organized  by the  Police’s  Child and Family Protection Department headed by  Senior Superintendent of Police,  Moureen Atuhaire.

"We have decided to bring the training to Mbale specifically because it's one of the districts in Elgon Region with the highest number of Child and Family Protection Officers that' haven't been inducted or trained in those fields,"Atuhaire said.

“We want to equip them with the practical skills and knowledge on how to respond to gender based violence and violence against children cases and how to ably do your work.”

According to Atuhaire, the annual police crime report placed Elgon region as one of the areas with the highest number of cases involving gender violence and violence against children noting that is only prudent that officers are equipped with skills on how to deal with the cases.

"We are training them on their roles in investigating child abuse cases and domestic violence cases, children who are in conflict with the law, equipping them with knowledge on alternative care framework for the children that are abandoned or missing. We are also going to teach them about diversion guidelines which deals with those children that commit petty offenses,” she added.

She said the training will be rolled out throughout the country.