Petition calls for digital monitoring of police guns after rising weapon losses

The loss and theft of police firearms could soon drive major changes in the National Police Service, after a petition presented to Parliament proposed a nationwide digital tracking system capable of monitoring service weapons and detecting unauthorized access in real time.

The proposal was tabled before the National Assembly's Public Petitions Committee, which heard submissions from petitioner Emmanuel Ojow on the need to strengthen accountability in the management of police-issued firearms and improve safeguards against theft and misuse.

Ojow told the committee on Tuesday that recent attacks on police stations in different parts of the country, where officers were reportedly ambushed and firearms stolen, had exposed weaknesses in existing systems used to secure and monitor police weapons.

He warned that the disappearance of police firearms poses serious security risks, not only to law enforcement officers but also to the public, while eroding confidence in institutions responsible for maintaining security.

"The theft or unauthorized removal of police firearms heightens operational risk for police officers, endangers civilians, and undermines public confidence in national security institutions," said Ojow.

According to the petitioner, the current firearm issuance and armory management system relies largely on manual processes and lacks the technology needed to immediately detect unauthorized access, movement or removal of weapons.

"The lack of real-time digital tracking of missing weapons increases the likelihood that such firearms will be used in violent criminal activity against both civilians and officers," he added.

In his petition, Ojow is seeking amendments to the National Police Service Act and other related laws to provide for the establishment of a secure national digital firearm detection and tracking system within the National Police Service.

The proposed framework would include biometric-controlled smart armories, encrypted real-time monitoring and alert systems, measures to protect sensitive operational information, dedicated funding for implementation and legal safeguards to ensure officers are not unfairly blamed for technological failures beyond their control.

During deliberations, members of the committee sought clarification on how the proposed technology would work and whether it could effectively address existing security challenges.

Joshua Kandie questioned the practicality of biometric-based firearm monitoring and asked whether similar systems had been implemented successfully in other countries. He also sought to know how the proposal would help address the problem of illegal firearms entering the country through neighbouring borders.

In response, Ojow explained that the system would use fingerprint authentication whenever a firearm is accessed. The information would then be transmitted to a central command centre, allowing authorities to identify the individual handling a weapon and enabling rapid intervention where unauthorized access is detected.

He told lawmakers that countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Singapore have adopted modern systems aimed at improving accountability and oversight in firearm management.

Committee members also raised concerns about the practical implementation of the proposal, noting that firearms are frequently assigned to different officers depending on operational needs. They questioned how biometric records would be updated efficiently and how accurate tracking data would be maintained to ensure the system remains reliable.

The committee later advised the petitioner to engage relevant security agencies and the ministry responsible for internal security to obtain technical input on the proposal and assess its operational feasibility before it proceeds further.