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INTRODUCTION

The Zambia Police Quartermaster is one of the oldest Logistics Branch established during the colonial days.  This Unit in the Zambia Police Service is currently headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) with his Deputy at Senior Superintendent Level. It has branches at Provincial level and units at Provincial Headquarters Countrywide with some selected sub-stores in active districts. The section has also attached its Personnel to all sections under Police Force Headquarters namely; Technical Services, Engineering, Stationery, building and maintenance, Traffic and Forensic Science Units under the Criminal Investigation Department as well as Medical Unit Stores.  The office of the Quartermaster has a number of officers who carry out administrative duties both at Police Headquarters buying office and Quartermaster Main stores who issue out items.

DUTIES OF THE QUARTERMASTER

The Quartermaster officers are responsible for making sure that policing equipment and material are available at all times to the End-Users so that there is no disruption of the Zambia Police Service Operational movement. 

This section, being at the core of Police Service, also plays a role of advisor in procurement matters and distributing programme.

The Quartermaster also provides supply support to Police Officers both Regular (general duties officers) and Combatants in the field and officers with material and distribution managements.

FUNCTIONS

The Police Stores manual highlights various functionality of the Quartermaster.  However, a few notable ones have been provided on the function of the Quartermaster as follows:-

• General supply of Police uniforms and Riot equipments to all the Provinces and Police Unit Countrywide
• Ensuring that Police Officers on patrols and other special duties are provided with rations and catering items
• Preparing Tender Committee papers and arranging for Tender Committee meetings at the Inspector General of Police threshold. Zambia Police has a delighted authority from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Analysing the Police budget and advising the Police Command at the best time to run a tender if it is above the threshold of the Inspector General of Police.
• Preparing contracts and forwarding them to the Attorney General for guidance.

It should be noted that the quartermaster has officers in Units at Paramilitary Training School, Lilayi Police College, School of Public Order Maintenance (SPOM) at Kamfinsa and State House, Protective Unit, TAZARA Police and Airports Division.  In these units are detachments, Companies and Battalions in which Senior Police Officers are assigned to carry out stores duties.

In Provinces and other Units we have Multi-Functional support groups who combine functions with other units like Accounts, Administration and many more.

POLICY

On its procurement, the Zambia Police Service Quartermaster unit follows the Zambia Public Procurement Authority Act of 2008 as Amended in 2011.

AUDIT

The Zambia Police Service Quartermaster is regularly audited by its internal Audit team quarterly and once a year by the Auditor General’s office to enhance transparency in its procurements.  The reports are submitted to Parliament and scrutinized by a selective Committee called the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC).

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