Abu Dhabi hosts Asian police dialogue on safer communities

Dubai: Police and crime-prevention officials from across Asia gathered in Abu Dhabi to exchange ideas on community policing, public trust, and new approaches to building safer communities.

The discussion has taken place on September 29 during a Philippine-led ancillary session at the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held at the ADNEC Centre.

Titled “Community Policing in Asia: Innovative Local Approaches for Preventing Crime and Building Safer Communities,” the session has been led by the Philippines’ National Police Commission (Napolcom), in partnership with the National Police Agency, the National Crime Prevention Section, and the Asian Crime Prevention Foundation.

Officials from the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, and Korea have shared their experiences and approaches to community policing. A central message from the discussions was that there is no single model for effective community policing.

“Approaches must respond to local realities, institutional structures, cultural contexts, and the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve,” stated the Philippine Embassy in UAE.

Speakers have highlighted the importance of building public trust and strengthening cooperation between police, local governments, and communities.

They have also tressed the value of “preventive and people-centred” approaches to public safety, rather than relying solely on responses after crimes occur.

The discussions have looked at how community policing must adapt to emerging risks in the digital age.

“Community policing must evolve alongside emerging risks, particularly as communities increasingly extend beyond physical neighbourhoods into digital spaces,” said the Philippine Embassy in UAE.

Moreover, the session has showcased the role of community policing in supporting crime prevention and the wider objectives of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The Philippine-led session has provided a platform for Asian law-enforcement and crime-prevention institutions to share experiences and strengthen regional cooperation.

Participants have expressed support for continued exchanges of knowledge and practices, with the aim of adapting lessons from different countries into practical approaches suited to local communities.

The goal is to strengthen public trust, prevent crime, and contribute to safer and more resilient communities across Asia and beyond.

The session has been moderated by director Ricarte Abejuela III of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

Speakers have included vice chairperson and executive officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan, Napolcom commissioner Josephus Angan, Napolcom director Donna Lynn Abaya-Caparas, Japan’s National Police Agency assistant director for community police affairs Kazuya Tanaka, director of the community partnership department of the Singapore Police Force assistant commissioner Louis Loke, and Philippine Embassy in Vienna consul Theodore Andrei Bauzon.

On the sidelines of the session, Philippine ambassador to the UAE and head of the Philippine delegation Alfonso Ver has met with assistant commissioner Loke of the Singapore Police Force to strengthen professional ties and encourage continued exchanges on community policing, crime prevention, and ways of building safer and more resilient communities.

The 15th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice has brought together governments, law-enforcement institutions, and other stakeholders to discuss crime prevention, criminal justice, and the rule of law.

Held under the theme “Protecting People and Planet, Achieving the 2030 Agenda in the Digital Age,” the congress serves as a platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and cooperation aimed at building safer and more just societies.

The Abu Dhabi session has provided a regional perspective to that global conversation, emphasising the importance of trust, partnerships, and locally appropriate approaches to community safety.