Crime rate shoots up, says new police report

The latest police report has indicated there was a sharp rise in the number of crimes committed in the country in the year 2022, compared to the previous year.

The report released on Wednesday indicated that the volume of crimes increased by more than 18 per cent in one year compared to the previous one.

“A total of 231,653 cases were reported in 2022 compared to the 196081 reported in 2021. Of these, thefts rose by 41% to 61508 compared to 43583 reported in 2021 whereas assaults also rose up by 9% from 29317 to 32041,” the report reads in part.

The report indicates that domestic violence cases increased by 1% to 17698 from 17533 reported in 2021 whereas cases of breakings have shot up by 36% to 13826 from 10,148 in the previous year.

Child related offences have recorded the biggest increase in the number of cases committed and reported to police after going up by 55% from 8681 to 13489.

Robbery cases rose up in 2022 by 30% from 5275 to 6854 whereas homicides rose up by 3% to 4043 from 3912 reported the previous year, 2021.

Sex related offences go down

In the positives, the report indicates that sex related offences have gradually reduced by at least 10% to 14693 from the 16373 reported the previous year.

The same report indicates that defilements went down by 38% from 14436 in 2021 to 8960 in 2022.

Attacks on security agencies

The year 2022 saw an unprecedented number of attacks on security personnel, mostly police officers by assailants for guns.

The report indicates there were 32 such cases in which 38 guns and 705 ammunitions were robbed.

However, the report says 30 of these guns and 545 ammunitions have since been recovered.

The Police Crime Intelligence Directorate headed by AIGP Brig Christopher Ddamulira last year launched sting operations to crackdown on assailants who were targeting security personnel and installations in the country.

The attacks became more pronounced following the attack by a group of assailants at Busiika Police station in which three police officers were killed and several guns stolen.

The resultant operations led to the arrest over 10 suspects as security bust the gang linked to ADF that target police officers and other security installations.