Sharjah Ruler urges police to exercise ‘extreme caution’ before making arrests
Sheikh Sultan advises officers to take decisions that minimise harm to individuals
Sharjah: His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, officially inaugurated the new Sharjah Police General Command and Operations Centre building on Thursday.
The ceremony was attended by Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.
During the event, the Ruler of Sharjah approved the promotion of 4,138 military personnel in the emirate’s regular forces, with the promotions to take effect retroactively. He awarded the Sharjah Police Medal to 14 officers representing the military cadres in the emirate’s regular forces. In addition, His Highness awarded 2,230 medals, badges, and decorations to officers, non-commissioned officers, and personnel in recognition of their outstanding institutional performance.
'Be flexible'
In his speech, Sheikh Sultan urged security personnel to exercise extreme caution before making arrests, ensuring that no harm comes to innocent individuals. The Ruler of Sharjah advised police officers to make decisions that minimise harm to individuals, particularly when considering imprisonment, in order to protect their reputation within the community and among their peers.
Sheikh Sultan emphasised that interactions with people must be conducted with professionalism, ethics, and grounded in accurate and reliable information. He urged security personnel to be flexible in their approach to dealing with people, despite the challenges they face in their duties.
Financially distressed cases
Sheikh Sultan also emphasised the importance of easing financial-related problems. He personally strives to address the concerns of this group by offering grace periods or reducing their hardships, stressing that he is committed to avoiding imprisonment whenever possible. He expressed his desire to prevent individuals from being labelled as “prison graduates”, even if they have only been incarcerated once.
Prison for reform, not punishment
He emphasised that one of the key responsibilities of security personnel is to rehabilitate individuals, not to punish them. Sheikh Sultan acknowledged that, like anyone, some people may make mistakes, and others may be arrested unjustly. In such cases, their rights must be restored, and they should be provided with conditions that ensure a comfortable and dignified life, rather than being treated as criminals deserving of punishment. He pointed out that the penal code does not prescribe equal sentences, and as such, wrongdoers should not be treated the same or placed together in prison cells. He stressed the importance of separating convicts, as there are those who are repeat offenders and those who are incarcerated for the first time. The negative influence in prison can corrupt the positive, so it is essential to isolate each group appropriately.
Rehabilitating addicts
The Ruler of Sharjah explained that the rehabilitation of addicts will be managed through a dedicated centre overseen by the Sharjah Health Authority, which is responsible for supervising health facilities and can provide the necessary services for those seeking recovery. He emphasised that addiction treatment is primarily psychological, and specialists will focus on healing and rehabilitating individuals. He recommended addressing such issues with both reason and compassion.
Sheikh Sultan concluded his speech by reaffirming the commitment to providing full and unwavering support to Sharjah Police.
New building
Designed in the style of Islamic heritage, the police building adheres to the highest environmental sustainability standards. It spans a total area of over 233,000 square metres. Of this, 21,700 square metres are dedicated to the main building of the command, which houses all its departments and sections, spread across the ground floor and two additional floors.
Operations Centre
Sheikh Sultan also inaugurated the state-of-the-art Operations Centre, which unifies efforts through a series of precise digital procedures, ensuring effective connectivity between all operations rooms across various police departments. It also integrates network systems with partners, such as accessing traffic signal cameras on the emirate’s roads and streets.
He also received a detailed briefing on the Reports Management Centre, which includes platforms for receiving emergency reports through the number 999, operating 24/7. The centre also features security monitoring platforms linked to a network of cameras deployed throughout the emirate.