Meet the Emirati women trailblazers at Sharjah Police

Sharjah: Captain Rawya Saif Sultan Al Mahrizi is the first Emirati female officer at the crime scene investigation (CSI) team of Sharjah Police.

Her tasks include, for example, examining dead bodies or scanning a house for a burglar’s fingerprints.

Capt Rawya’s duty at CSI comes under the force’s General Department of Forensics and Criminology. She joined the Sharjah Police forensic laboratory in 2012.

Capt Rawya told Gulf News that she worked or five years in the forensic laboratory and another five years in crime scene department, which in some countries is still a preserve for men.

Uncovering the truth

“When I took up the role, I said to myself, ‘why not?’ I’ve always loved to work in a position that helps me find clues and uncover the truth and make the society a better place to live in,” she said.

Capt Rawya is also the first woman from her family to work for the police. With a supportive family in a nation that champions women empowerment, she knew she could turn her dream into reality.

Her father is a retiree officer who used to work for Sharjah Police.

Capt Rawya thanked Major General Saif Al Ziri Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, for his support. “I’m fortunate to live in a country that appreciates women’s role in society. I wanted to take up this challenge to become the first female officer in CSI team,” she said.

Special courses

She studied in Australia for a rare specialty – forensic embryology analysis. In 2005, Capt Rawya had travelled to study in college in Australia, where she graduated from Bradford College. She specialised in genetic science and Faculty of Medicine, Surgery and Anatomy.

Capt Rawya went on to earn a master’s degree in innovation and also holds an international accreditation in the field of innovation. She is a Future Foresight Coach as well.

She has mastered the task of managing crime scenes, collecting evidence and ensuring they are not tampered with, and analysing and identifying blood types.

She is a certified lecturer at the Ministry of Interior as well as at the University of Sharjah Police Academy.

Volunteer spirit

When she is away from her crime scene duty, Capt Rawya loves drawing; she has participated in various exhibitions of design and fine arts.

She initiated the ‘Little Expert’ programme of Sharjah Police during Sharjah International Book Fair 2021 to acquaint children with how forensic experts work.

Despite being busy with so many responsibilities, Capt Rawya is also an active volunteer member in Sharjah and Dubai.

First female pilot in Sharjah Police

Nada Al Shamsi, 32, is Sharjah Police’s first female police pilot.

Nada told Gulf News: “Emiratis are probably the luckiest citizens to be part of this great nation. Our leaders are way ahead in their vision in support of gender equality. Thanks to Major General Saif Al Ziri Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police and his support, women in Sharjah Police are not only supported but also offered all sorts of opportunities and access in the workplace, together with a stimulating environment to thrive. For this, I’m grateful and proud to be one of Sharjah Police’s staff.”

Nada said she faced many challenges in becoming a pilot but she overcame all of them. “Of course, my ambition will not stop. I have future goals to reach. We are in a country that provided us with opportunities. Women can be whatever they want to be; that’s what I think my example shows. All women should follow a career path that inspires and makes them happy”.

She hopes her story inspires “all young women still searching for a path and show them there is still space for women in serving our country”.

Poetess

In addition to her work at Sharjah Police, Nada is also a well-known poetess who has participated in a number of events. She also works at the Media and Public Relations Department of Sharjah Police General Headquarters and presented the morning traffic broadcasts in English on the police’s social media platform. She is also a member of the Emirates Poets Forum and a member of the Al Jazirah Aviation Club in Ras Al Khaimah. Nada participated in the shows of Al Jazirah for light aircraft in 2020.

She holds a Master’s in Strategy and Leadership Management and a Diploma in International Leadership Development from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research in Switzerland, and an LSA pilot license approved by the General Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE.

She is now studying for her PhD degree, which she aims to complete next year. Nada is also a volunteer at Expo 2020 Dubai’s protocol section.