Here is why police saw crimes committed rise by 18% in 2022

Police in 2022 recorded an 18% increase in the number of crimes reported to Police from 196,081 cases reported in 2021 to 231,653. This is according to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola.

Ochola, while launching thefor the year 2022 in Kampala Wednesday morning said the rise in crimes was brought about by the full opening of the economy after the Covid-19 lockdown.

He noted that in the last year, growing confidence among members of the public to report crimes to the Police also is a factor.

Police confirmed that a total of 231, 653 cases were recorded; out of which 68, 405 were taken to court while 26,749 were not taken to court. 136, 499 cases were still under inquiry.

Ochola highlighted that this was an improvement; citing a 5.2% increase in cases charged in the courts of law.

“In the period under review, our focus has been on improving the quality of services we offer to the public in terms of enhanced law and order, engagement of communities through community policing programs, capacity building and developing the initial phase of digitalizing our processes for purposes of easing detection, reporting and supervision of trends of crime,” he noted.

The released report indicated that thefts registered the highest number of crimes with 61,508 cases recorded, followed by assaults with 32,041 cases, and domestic violence with 17,698 cases among others.

According to the Director of Police CID Tom Magambo, out of the total cases reported to Police, 90,182 suspects both male and female were arrested and charged in Court.

“Of the total cases reported to the police and charged to court, 83,112 were male adults, 4,579 female adults, 2,175 male juveniles and 316 female juveniles. Out of whom, 14,908 (13,622 male adults, 755 female adults, 471 male juveniles, 60 female juveniles) were convicted and sentenced to serve in various prisons countrywide,” he added.

Out of the 28 Policing Regions in Uganda, North Kyoga registered the highest number of cases with 17,605 cases, followed by KMP North with 16,691 cases, KMP South with 14,492 cases, Rwizi with 14,204 cases and Albertine with 13,544 cases.

However, with the registered increase in crimes country-wide, Magambo explained that ensuring institutional functionality; community policing and thorough investigations may curb the increase in crimes.

“Uganda Police Force is in the process of reviewing its doctrine, posture, practices, and procedures to ensure that its level of functionality meets public expectation. Key among these reforms is the reorganization of deployment of resources based on the sub-county policing model that shall ensure the existence of basic capacity to encounter crime,”

Meanwhile, Rachel Odoi, the Senior Technical Advisor of the Justice Law and Order Sector (JLOS), called upon the government to efficiently support police to make sure that the country has efficient, effective and well-resourced police right from the police posts at the village level.

She says this will adequately improve police availability to respond and address crime wherever it happens.

On average, the report indicated that 19,304 cases were reported to police every month in the year 2022.

According to UBOS, the population projection by mid-2022 was estimated at 44,212,800 million people. This means that, out of every 100,000 people, 524 were victims of crime.