The Uganda Police Force (UPF) and the Makerere University Faculty of Computing and Information Technology have entered into an agreement that will allow the force to integrate ICT into its day-to-day activities.

Under the agreement, Makerere faculty shall train UPF officers in various areas of ICT, ensuring that the technologies deployed are compatible with current industrial standards.

ICT is a critical component for any organization but UPF is lagging behind, admitted UPF's Major General Kale Kayihura. He identified capacity building, establishing call-center services, building a crime-management record system and using closed-circuit television as some of the areas in which the two parties can collaborate.

The first initiative under the agreement will see 200 middle-ranking police officers receive training in office computer applications. The training sessions, which are taking place at the university's new US$8 million computing facility, commenced on July 21 and will run until Aug. 1.

The two parties further agreed that they would be responsible for the development and implementation of appropriate electronic information and communication solutions. The faculty and UPF will jointly handle applications and the selection of the equipment to be used based on compatibility with the existing Uganda government standards and policies.