Encouraging people's participation in security

In its journey to keep a dynamically changing city safe, maintain security and lend a cooperative hand to its citizens, Dubai Police have come a long way they have achieved one of the highest standards of security and services in the past 50 years.

Gone are the days when people saw Dubai police as figures of fear.

Today, Dubai Police are seen as a community police, ready to cooperate with the public and expect cooperation from them as well.

Dubai Police will celebrate their 50th anniversary next year with the ambition of going beyond what it has already achieved.

Gulf News peeped into the journey of the Dubai Police and spoke to a number of police officers who have witnessed the developments of Dubai Police and the changing perceptions of people about them.

The Late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who ordered the launch of regular police, established Dubai Police in January 1956.

After the order, civil guards who used to protect souqs were changed to regular police. Naif Fort was the first location of Dubai Police.

After the decree, under which General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, was appointed head of police and security, he concentrated on encouraging UAE nationals to take charge of various departments of the police.

Extensive and specialised courses were arranged to achieve this goal.

Police officers of various departments in Dubai Police shared their memories and views of Dubai Police, now and then. They also commented on the role of Dubai Police as a community police.

Lieutenant General Dahi said at a seminar on the Definition of Community Police held on September 19, "Community police means the police that is acceptable among society, its word reaches people and gets a response from them."

The idea of community police developed when police decided to change the concept of police stations.

"We thought why should we build police stations as forts which scare people and make them uncomfortable. We wanted police stations to be ordinary buildings like any other building in the country. We built the first police station of glass in Al Rifa'a. After that, all police stations were made of glass.

"If we succeed in strongly establishing the concept of community police, we will be able to discover more crimes, face the dangers of terrorism and large crimes because the public will be willing to cooperate with the police," he added.

Brigadier Abdul Rahman Rafei, Director of the General Department of Community Services, believes that the biggest effort in improving this image has been made by Lieutenant General Dahi.

"He has worked with other policemen in fast changing times. Their efforts amazed people and police became well known on an international level.

"This would not have been possible without the personal and official support of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister.

"I personally witnessed the growth of Dubai Police since its beginnings. The public's perception about police changed 360 degrees.

Brigadier Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Director, General Department of Criminal Investigation, said: "Police now come under a community perspective. Besides catching criminals and limiting crimes, they protect people's rights as well.

"There is quickness in dealing with the situation, avoiding complexity and having administrative support. There is a kind of direct participation with the public.

"Their criticism and comments are welcome because they help police overcome any obstacles that hinder them from achieving their goals."

Strategy

Dubai Police aim to be a community and safety police. Their strategy includes these main ideas. However, they do not take issues lightly when it comes to the safety and security of every citizen in the UAE generally and Dubai specifically.

"Today we are looking at an exceptional city that strives for excellence in all fields. Hence, we have to keep up with these developments and improve our way of dealing with the public and security issues."

"There was a kind of fear of participating with police because of the complexity of procedures. Today, the strategy and the mechanism of dealing with people has changed.

"We took a modern administrative method in dealing with people, which encouraged them to participate with police," he said.

"Personally, I feel the image of Dubai Police will be better and will help in creating a kind of trust which the public has already begun to feel while dealing with police."

Brigadier Jamal Al Merri, Deputy Commandant General of Dubai Police,