The retired Police Operations Director, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Edward Ochom has blamed the Police force for forgetting its officers after they retire
Ochom said many Police officers who served selflessly in the Police force have been neglected and no one bothers to know how they are doing outside the force.
He has advised the current Police leadership headed by the Inspector General of Police, Martin Ochola to benchmark with its sister force the Uganda People’s Defence Forces – UPDF that keeps in touch with officers who retire at top ranks.
Ochom was today speaking on behalf of the 38 senior officers who have been retired from the Police by IGP Ochola.
He was the second most senior retiring police officer after AIGP Andrew Sorowen who joined the force in 1975.
Ochom joined the Police force in 1987 while the former Chief Political Commissariat Asan Kasingye joined in 1989.
Ochom said he admires the army that assigns some retired senior officers tasks or often remembers to invite them for activities or ceremonies that keep them feeling that they are part and parcel of the force.
“The sense of belonging for the institution for which we have dedicated our most valuable time leaves a lot to be desired. There are some retirees since they retired they have never stepped foot here. Some retirees do not want to associate with the Police force,” says AIGP Ochom.
Ochom also highlighted on the risks and difficult conditions they have served in throughout their lifetime in Police force.
Some of these unforgettable challenges, according to Ochom, include civil wars that overthrew President Idi Amin, the gorilla war that brought President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to power, various rebel and terrorism activities of Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
Away from the terror and rebel activities, Ochom said Police officers like him have served and policed pressurizing and chaotic situations like the elections period of 1995, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021 including court battles that often come with the outcomes of the elections.
In response, Ochola said holding a retirement function was a token of appreciation for the job well executed. The retirees, according to Ochola, should be grateful for reaching the climax which many don’t reach.
