Cyber terrorism is biggest threat, hears police summit in UAE
Top official calls for digital upskilling of officers at Police Thinking Forum in Sharjah
Sharjah: Cyber terrorism is the biggest challenge facing police agencies worldwide, a top Dubai security official warned at the ‘Police Thinking Forum’ in Sharjah on Wednesday. Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security in Dubai, said cyber terrorism can strike facilities such as stock markets, banks, power grids, self-driving trains, operating rooms in hospitals, and milk factories.
He called for police forces to educate and train young talents and future police officers in the latest digital defences to thwart emerging cyber crimes.
Lt Gen Tamim’s remarks came during his presentation on his paper on the subject, discussed during the forum’s first session on ‘Current Challenges to Police Thinking’.
The forum was organised by the Sharjah Police Research Centre at University of Sharjah on the 30th anniversary of the launch of ‘Journal of Police Thinking’.
Major General Saif Al Ziri Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, attended the forum. Also present were Major General Sheikh Sultan bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Commander-in-Chief of Ajman Police; Major General Arif Al Shamsi, Executive Director of the General Directorate of Residency for Foreigners Affairs and Ports in Sharjah; Brigadier Abdullah Mubarak bin Amer, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police; Professor Dr Hamid Majoul Al Nuaimi, Director of the University of Sharjah; senior officials from the Ministry of Interior, researchers at the University of Sharjah and students.
Celebrating police work
The forum celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Police Thinking Journal (launched in 1992), which seeks to encourage and disseminate knowledge in the police security domain, enhance a scientific approach in fighting crime, and address current and future challenges.
Maj Gen Al Shamsi said the forum reflects the extent of care and attention paid by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to support all fields and intellectual and research contributions to police sciences. The forum also came as a culmination of the efforts of the Sharjah Police Research Centre, he added.
Second session
Brigadier Dr Khalid Hamad Al Hammadi, Director of the Police Research Centre, stressed on the continuous endeavour of the Center to enrich scientific research in police work.
The second session, titled ‘Digital Platform for Research and Development’ was moderated by Captain Ahmed Hamad Al Hammadi from the Media and Public Relations Department of Sharjah Police. The session included working papers on the role of scientific research in accordance with contemporary thought, and on ‘Digital Transformation in Police and Security Research Platforms’ presented by Professor Muhammad bin Mubarak Al Masn from Naif Arab University for Security Sciences. Also, Dr Muhammad Mardi Al Shamry from Saad Al Abdullah Academy presented research on the security challenges of the police forces in light of the new media and ways to confront them.
Exhibition
The forum concluded its activities with the third session presented by Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Al Maleeh, Head of the Scientific Research Department at the Sharjah Police Research Centre. The session was titled ‘How to Enrich Police Thought?’
On the sidelines of the forum, an exhibition showcased the most prominent and latest security and police publications of the Sharjah Police Research Centre.