POLICE OFFICERS from 12 countries in the Great lakes region at the weekend began conducting a four-day joint field exercise aimed at fighting terrorism in the region.The training was organised under the auspices of the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO). It drew about 200 officers.EAPCCO countries include Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.“The exercise will test the police officers on how to handle terrorism attacks and investigating bomb blasts,” Uganda Police Deputy Spokesperson Patrick Onyango told The New Times at the weekend.Onyango said Police officers will be trained on how to use resources like ambulances, and also learn how to use INTERPOL communication tools in cases of trans-boundary crime.During the training period, two crucial committees of EAPCCO–the Permanent Coordinating Committee (PCC), which brings together criminal Investigations department (CID) Chiefs, and the legal sub committees will convene to enhance their cooperation.
