IPOA Commissioner Fatuma Mohammed yesterday, at the National Police College (Main Campus Kiganjo), delivered a lecture to at least 718 senior police officers currently undergoing a career development course.

Ms. Mohammed, aside from sensitizing the officers on IPOA’s mandate, also explored the contemporary issues affecting police officers.

The Commissioner also updated the officers on the legal and policy issues currently being tackled by IPOA for the betterment of policing, as well as improving the welfare of the officers.

Commissioner Mohammed expounded on the basis of IPOA in professional policing as stipulated under the constitution and the IPOA Act.

Call to duty

She also enlightened the police on the history of IPOA, its objectives, functions and powers. She also highlighted superior officers’ responsibility on use of force and firearms, compliance to the law, and administrative issues as the basis of the discussion on the contemporary issues affecting the police. Here, she expounded on the obligation to prevent unlawful use of force and firearms and that of reporting unlawful use of force and firearms.

“A Commander violates his duty to prevent when he fails to take measures to stop crimes that are about to be committed or crimes that are being committed. The duty to prevent arises before the commission of the crimes, and it includes crimes in progress and crimes which involve on-going elements,” she quoted the Bemba ICC Trial.

Commissioner Mohammed underscored the need of adhering to appropriate regulations and guidelines on use of force and firearms – NPS Act, ensuring forces are adequately and appropriately trained, issuing orders aimed at bringing about specific compliance, disciplining errant officers and not issuing orders that may bring about unlawful use of force.

Challenges

She highlighted non reporting and the Blue code of silence as some of the issues facing the authority, stating that between July 2022-March 2023 only 34 % of cases of death were reported by police superiors.

Officers attending the training exuded the thirst to learn more about IPOA and submitted various concerns to the Commissioner.

The officers commended IPOA for taking a step to reach out to officers, saying that such engagements debunked misunderstandings and formed basis for collaboration for better policing.

Later, Ms. Mohammed paid a courtesy call to the Campus Commandant, Mr Munga Nyale.