Dubai: Social media — including Twitter, Facebook, blogs, Instagram, YouTube, among others, have became part of police security systems all over the world in preventing crimes, announcing information and protecting societies.
This was discussed at the 9th International Symposium of Best Police Practices( ISBPP) titled “Ten Years of Attracting best Practices” which started yesterday in Dubai. The four-day forum will see experts from different security bodies from all over the world discussing various topics related to terrorism, traffic, organised crimes, cyber crimes, violence against children, securing events and other criminal and drug-related issues.
The forum was organised under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Interior, Dubai Police and representatives from police forces from the participating countries.
Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai Police Chief, said security forces should deal with any situation transparently.
He emphasised the need to enhance techniques and evaluate performance continuously to provide the best services to the public.
Dahi talked about the vital role played in the Arab world by social networking websites in reflecting positive and negative pictures of security forces.
“The websites with all their techniques and photographs have created a new condition that could become a huge burden on security forces. So we should understand and deal with it with transparency,” he said, adding that public security is just a public service and the police have to provide this in the best way and also protect human rights.
Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police, said the forum would also address the problem of missing and exploited children, serious and organised crimes and environment protection. “This international symposium aims to find a common work mechanism and sign memos of understanding between the participants,” he said. Major General Dr Abdul Qadous Abdul Razzaq, Director of Comprehensive Quality Department of Dubai Police, said the symposium aims at enhancing distinguished police practices in addition to implementing best police practices to improve police work, building strategic relations between Dubai Police and other police agencies, and introducing a quality control culture in policing. The UK police will talk about terrorism, reviewing current terrorist threats after the 7/7 attacks in London, in addition to their practices.
Hong Kong Police will talk about the rights of children, violence against them and efforts to protect them, stressing that the courts of Hong Kong provide an opportunity for children to give evidence about crimes of sexual violence through video and direct television links.
