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Why police disbanded Flying Squad Unit again
IGP Martins Okoth-Ochola
What you need to know:
- The FSU has been serving as the Force’s violent crime crack unit
A decision to disband police’s Flying Squad Unit (FSU) was taken by the Inspector General of Police, Mr Martins Okoth-Ochola, because of mounting allegations of gross misconduct and torture of suspects by its operatives, Sunday Monitor has learnt.
The FSU has been serving as the Force’s violent crime crack unit.
The IGP’s communication that the squad was no longer recognised among police units was sent through a radio message to all operatives on Thursday.
A credible source within the FSU told Sunday Monitor that the radio message from the IGP directs them to join the Crime Intelligence Directorate headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, and others be incorporated into the Special Investigations Department (SID) at Kireka, on the outskirts of Kampala.
“The head offices of FSU at the Central Police Station are now occupied by crime intelligence team. Some of the FSU members were taken to Kabalye Police Training School in Masindi on a course on crime intelligence, others were taken to Kireka under SID and others were reverted to general duties and deployed up country,” the source said.
The source said they received orders that crime intelligence should take over all the operations that the FSU was handling and should directly report to the Director of Crime Intelligence.
This is the second time Mr Ochola is disbanding the FSU ever since he took over the leadership of police in March 2018.
At the time, the unit was under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner of Police Herbert Muhangi, and it had become infamous for participating in the reported torture of suspects.
Ochola reversed the decision on the advice of the policy advisory committee (PAC) on the vital role FSU was playing in dealing with gun-related violence.
He then ordered all the personnel who were under FSU during ACP Muhangi’s leadership to report to Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) headquarters at Kibuli. Thereafter, CID director Grace Akullo was tasked to screen all the operatives and only remain with those who did not have a bad service record. At the end of the screening, the numbers were reduced from 130 to 80 operatives.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said the FSU recently moved to Directorate of Crime Intelligence, which is undergoing reorganisation and retooling.
“The commandant of FSU, SSP Andrew Kaggwa, is very much available at CPS and doing his work effectively.
Remember they are a supportive unit and their method of operation fits best under the Directorate of Crime Intelligence,” he said.
Sunday Monitor established that even the recently appointed Flying Squad commander SSP Andrew Kaggwa was shocked to reach the office and found the personnel leaving. It is reported that Kaggwa contacted police’s human resource management for guidance and he was directed to report to Crime Intelligence directorate head offices in Naguru.
In the last three years where Ochola has been IGP, Flying Squad had never received an independent budget like it used to be during the reign of Gen Kayihura. When Muhangi was commander, Flying Squad on average received Shs 200 million annually to cater for the operation costs.
In 2019, FSU handled a total of 181 cases compared to 67 cases handled in 2018. This is a support unit for police operations and investigations.
In 2020, FSU under the command of SSP Godwin Tumugumye, handled a total of 183 cases compared to 181 cases handled in 2019. In addition, FSU recovered 23 firearms, 342 ammunition bullets, 67 Stolen/robbed motor vehicles and 43 motorcycles in 2020.
