Abu Dhabi: The role of female police officers is vital to engaging with families and children in protecting the community from criminal elements in their many guises — besides social media threats, a senior female officer observed.
Currently, 15,000 women are employed in police forces across the UAE, which makes for the highest number of female officers in the entire Middle East region. And more and more women are keen to join the police.
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This fact came to light on Sunday during Emirati Women’s Day celebrations organised by the Abu Dhabi Police at the Armed Forces Officers Club in Abu Dhabi, where a large number of women gathered to mark the occasion.
Women in the police force
Speaking to Gulf News on the sidelines of the event on Sunday, Amnah Al Beloushi, Director of Women’s Police Affairs’ Office in Abu Dhabi Police said, “More and more females wish to join the police.
Now parents enquire from us how they can get their daughters employed in police to protect the society.”
She also touched on how women were helping improve cyber security and guard against social media threats.
“We spread awareness among children through educational institutions and explain cyber laws of the country, and provide training to parents for protecting children from misuse of social media as well as being abused.”
It may be recalled that Her Highness Shaikh Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, had come out with the suggestion that August 28 be celebrated as Emirati Women’s Day to mark the creation of the General Women’s Union on August 28, 1975.
On the occasion, services and contributions of women to the country’s police force were recognised and their excellent services to the nation feted.
The efforts of the country’s leadership and Shaikha Fatima to empower women came in for special mention and women police officers were felicitated.
“Today we are sharing our works with all staff and our efforts in protecting the community giving our best services to them,” said Al Beloushi adding, “We celebrate today the empowerment of women.”
She said she considered her work “an easy job” and a great way to serve the community and the nation because women police officers were always made to feel welcome in society.
“When we meet a family at their home, particularly women and children, they feel more comfortable to share a lot with a female police officer. The society accepts female police officers more than male officers,” she said.
Medical staff
Female medical staff also have a big role to play in assisting thousands of prisoners in punitive establishments.
A female officer manages medical centres of the police that treat thousands of prisoners across UAE jails.
Captain Kamilya Mohammad, manager of jails clinics, medical services in Sharjah, Ministry of Interior, said: “We provide medical treatment to thousands of inmates in jails and assist them during emergency situations. We provide health-related bulletins, vaccination and routine medical check-ups.”
Captain Mohammad manages police medical centres across Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah.
“We remain on duty round the clock and we are ready to visit jails for any emergency medical situations, even during night,” she told Gulf News on the sidelines of the event.
“I feel proud serving our country and serving the people,” Captain Mohammad said.
