Sharjah Police inefficient and unhelpful, declares council

Sharjah: The Sharjah Consultative Council has criticised the police force for being inefficient and unhelpful.

Quoting responses from a sample survey he had done of the public, Musbah Bin Saeed Al Kutbi said most residents have a poor opinion of the police.

The other complaints include delay in arriving at accident sites and not enough traffic police to handle the growing number of cars on the roads, he said.

Another member Ahmad Bin Khalifa As Suwaidi, said, "999 is a number that nobody answers," alleging that the police response to the emergency number is very slow.

The council held its meeting last Wednesday but had put a press embargo on its deliberations. It discussed the emirate's budget in a closed door meeting. The main topic on the agenda of the meeting was the working of the police force and was open to the press.

Brigadier Saleh Al Muttawa, Director-General of Sharjah Police, and his team of officers underwent hours of grilling at the council meeting held at the Emiri Court. It was revealed by one member that the number of car thefts in Sharjah is the highest in the UAE.

No access by media

At one point the police chief was asked whether he needs outside professional help to curtail the thefts. The council members also took the police to task for not cooperating with the media and for not providing accurate information.

The police chief said they release information only on cases that are relevant to the general public, or those that make people aware of certain issues.

"We do not wish to spread fear among the public and we do not want intrusion into people's privacy," he said. Council members also queried the chief on why the police does not implement the law for women.

He said that it was recommended to dress decently in all places and people could be fined if they do not stick to the norms.

The council recommended that the traffic department should be more closely involved in the planning and construction of roads. It also sought more money be allocated to the traffic department.

Brigadier Al Muttawa said that His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has ordered building of a Dh20 million centre for rehabilitation of drug addicts as well as a new Dh20 million prison on Sharjah-Al Dhaid highway.