The Uganda Police Force (UPF), founded in 1899 as the Uganda Armed Constabulary, is mandated to maintain law and order, protect life and property, and ensure public safety. Its legal framework is governed by the Police Act, Penal Code Act of 1950, and the 1995 Constitution.
Its recruitment, organization, and training were modeled on the Royal Irish Constabulary’s armed policing approach. The UPF’s mandate, as outlined in the Constitution of Uganda and the Police Act, includes protecting life and property, preventing and detecting crime, maintaining law and order, and ensuring overall security and public safety.
The legal framework guiding the UPF consists of the Police Act, Penal Code Act of 1950, and the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. The Force operates at various management levels, with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) at the strategic level, followed by the Deputy IGP and Assistant IGP. Senior management includes Senior Commissioners of Police (SCP), Commissioners of Police (CP), and Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), while middle management comprises Senior Superintendents, Superintendents, and Assistant Superintendents of Police. Junior management consists of ranks such as Inspector, Assistant Inspector, Sergeant, Corporal, Police Constable, and Special Police Constable.
The UPF has several directorates responsible for various functions, including Traffic and Road Safety, Crime Intelligence, Human Resource Management, Forensic Services, Counter Terrorism, and Interpol and International Relations. Currently, the Force has around 53,000 police officers and over 300 civilian staff members.
Recent achievements include increasing staff strength by 10,000 personnel, which improved the police-to-population ratio from 1:941 to 1:812. The UPF has also enhanced its training capacity, providing refresher and specialized courses in disciplines such as criminal investigations, counter-terrorism, forensics, and leadership. The establishment of the Police Senior Command and Staff College at Bwebajja and infrastructural developments in training schools have further strengthened its capabilities.
Challenges facing the UPF include evolving crime trends such as cybercrime, human trafficking, and urban murders, as well as infrastructure limitations like staff accommodation shortages. The UPF aims to address these issues by expanding community policing efforts, increasing officer housing units, and digitizing Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) records.