Flying Squad operatives uncertain about future

IGP Ochola then redeployed ACP Herbert Muhangi, the former commandant of the Flying Squad Unit, to head the Manpower and Audit department under the Human Resource Administration Directorate.

The Flying Squad Unit has been known for handling gun related crimes and other high profile cases like kidnap and vehicle theft.

The disbandment of the unit comes at a time when police is struggling with armed robberies, motor vehicle thefts, kidnaps, murders and many other high profile cases. Flying Squad has been the most dreaded unit in the Uganda Police Force due to its speed, intelligence capacity, ability to track criminals, high technological capability and reputation for easily resolving complex violent crimes.

The unit has also had its share of bad news with complaints of torture, extortion and even armed crimes levied against them. This however didn't stop the police top management from trusting its abilities.

Shortly after news of the disbandment of the unit broke, this reporter walked through its former headquarters at Kampala Central Police Station building.

The once energetic and jovial operatives under the unit looked dejected. The corridors were full of whispers of an uncertain future as they await reconstitution by Grace Akullo, the Director Criminal Investigations Department as directed by the IGP.

In a message issued on Tuesday afternoon, all personnel in the disbanded unit are expected to make reports on all resources available and report to the CID Headquarters by May 16, 2018.

READ:

IGP Ochola disbands Flying Squad Unit

FSU commanded by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Herbert Muhangi, has been known for hunting down suspects in high profile cases

One of the operatives told this reporter on condition of anonymity that he and his colleagues are concerned about their future deployment.

"I don't understand how they just shut us down like that. We have been doing a good job. Where will they take us now?" the operative asked.

The Deputy Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, declined to confirm the disbandment of the unit, saying he hadn't seen any message to the effect.

"All I have seen is that the personnel need to report to CID which is very normal," Onyango said.

Flying Squad had just completed sieving out civilian operatives who were working as Special Police Constables.

In 2016, all operatives were taken for a three month's refresher course after which most of them were deployed to the Field Force Police and newly recruited police officers deployed under the unit.

Since it was created in 2001, the Police Flying Squad was dependent on ill-trained and unprofessional operatives to fight violent crime. The Flying Squad was created as an emergency response unit to high crime rates in the city and its suburbs.

It started as a Para-military group popularly known as 'Wembley', led by Brig Elly Kayanja. It later morphed into the Violent Crime Crack Unit (VCCU), and was renamed the Rapid Response Unit (RRU). In 2012 it was christened Flying Squad Unit.

The police leadership kept changing its name in an attempt to clean up the image of the unit but still this didn't help.

When it was formed, police enrolled former soldiers, police informers, known criminals, serving soldiers and a few police officers. Some of these operatives have stayed while others were moved.

Every new commander appointed to head the unit came in with a few trusted personnel. The commanders have also tended to move on with their trusted operatives once transferred from the unit.