Dubai: Their sharpshooting skills and prowess in riding advanced motorbikes are what set apart the 18 female officers of the VIP Protection Unit of The Department of Protective Security and Emergency of Dubai Police from their other female peers.
The VIP Protection Unit currently comprises 28 members, 18 of whom are female, and their job is to protect and secure any VIP visitors to Dubai, whether female or male. The unit was first established in 2005, but the first batch of female officers was trained in 2008.
“Back then there were only a few women in the unit. We started the training with 10 women, only six finished the training and later on some left. There were only two female officers from that batch who are still on the team,” said Lieutenant Colonel Musabah Saeed Al Ghafli, Acting Director of the VIP Protection Unit.
“But in July 2013, the Dubai Police Chief Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina ordered that more females be recruited to the team, and that is when the new batch of 15 women joined the team,” he said.
The 15 female officers underwent intensive training between July through November 2013.
“The leadership at Dubai Police has invested a lot in this department, for example, the protective gear that the officers wear during their assignments – and that is excluding the weapons – is worth almost Dh12,000 per set.”
The team also uses different motorbikes for training and for assignments.
“They drive Suzuki GSX 1000cc and Yamaha FJR 1300cc when on assignment,” Lt. Col. Al Ghafli says.
When the unit was formed, the women were trained to provide personal security to the VIPs but over the years it has developed and added motorbike training as well as more advanced training modules.
First Corporal Shamma Abdullah Al Ali, 29, one of the officers on the team, said she chose to go join the police force because she liked being active and doing field work. “I later on applied to the VIP Protection Unit because I was attracted by their kind of work and the idea that I will be trained to ride motorbikes,” she says.
A typical day at the unit, she said, starts with an hour of exercises. Then they have different training sessions depending on the schedule, which usually include some field training on the motorbikes and shooting.
“When we go out on the streets, people are amazed by us, and take photos. To them it’s such a new concept that a woman is driving a motorbike. We are exactly like our male counterparts in the work we do,” says Shamma.
First Corporal Omniyat Dawoud Sulaiman, 24, comes from a family of officers, as her mother, aunts and most of her family served in the police or army. “That was one of the reasons that got me interested in police work, and also I found out that I prefer field work to office work.”
Omniyat, has been in the police force for five years. She worked for Dubai Police and later joined Sharjah Police before returning to Dubai Police to join the VIP unit. “When I found that Dubai Police was recruiting for VIP protection motorbike team, I applied and was accepted. It was something new and different and it attracted me.”
In addition to their security work and VIP protection, the team also takes part in performances showcasing their skills.
“We do shows at schools and we also did shows for various delegations visiting from abroad – everyone wants to see us in action.”
“I cannot forget the first day we went out on the road with the motorbikes to test how we perform during traffic. One of my colleagues called me and, for a second, I turned around and lost my balance, it was embarrassing but it taught me that the most important things is to be focused all the time,” Omniyat said.
Omniyat said that it’s a tough job but it is fulfilling. Once, she said, she was on a team securing a high-profile wedding, and she was on duty from 3pm to 9am the next day.
First Corporal Shaikha Abdullah Al Mazroui, 23, said that before joining the force, she was a civilian employee at the airport.
“I used to see the police officers at the airport and admired their work and decided I’d like to be a police officer and work in the airport.”
However, during her interview for joining the force, they asked her if she would like to join the VIP Protection Unit.
“They asked me if I would mind driving a motorbike, and I liked the idea and wanted to join.”
Shaikha said that “initially, my family was against me joining the unit because of the fact that I’ll be driving a motorbike, but I convinced them and told them that is what I wanted to do.”
The three women all said they faced some difficulty in the beginning of their training, especially with the motorbikes, but now they are confident and comfortable, thanks to the constant training.
“When we go to perform shows at schools, a lot of the people ask us about our job and tell us that they would like to do it. There is nothing wrong about a girl driving a motorbike. I hope seeing us would make more women want to join the unit,” Shaikha said.
