Dubai: Neighbourhood police will soon be on the streets in the first phase of a scheme that aims to solve problems in the community.
The first areas to benefit from around-the-clock initiative will be Jumeirah, Al Rashidiya and Al Muraqabat. Police will visit schools, mosques and youth gatherings as part of the initiative.
The new service, A Residential Neighbourhood Police, was launched on Thursday. The patrols will help the community remain secure and be on hand to solve problems and offer advice, said Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police. They will not have the power of arrest but will offer advice and guidance.
Lt General Dahi said the neighbourhood police will cover security, social, humanitarian and economic issues.
“The procedures and measures, which will be followed by the residential neighbourhood police, will rely on preventing crimes and problems and finding immediate solutions for people’s issues in residential areas by joint work between the police and communities,” said Lt General Dahi.
“The first phase of the residential neighbourhoods police service will be applied in three areas in Dubai, Jumeirah, Al Rashidiya area and Al Muraqabat, and there will be Emirati police personnel who were selected carefully from the force and they will be well qualified and efficient,” said Lt General Dahi.
The scheme will come into force next week and police cars bearing the logo of “Residential Neighbourhoods Police’ will be seen on the roads.
Lt General Dahi added that the aim of the neighbourhood police is to bring people together and to help the public overcome their fear of being the victims of crime. The police will become a part of the community they are patrolling and will help intervene in any rows between neighbours.
He said that the service will create an informal atmosphere in which people can approach the police.
Major General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation (CID), will follow up on implementing the service with Colonel Ahmad Thani Ali Bin Galaita, Director of the crime control department at Dubai Police.
“Police will visit schools, raise public awareness on protecting the environment and help students sort out their issues. They will be at mosques and youth gatherings and will solve social problems within the community,” he said.
He said the police will monitor abandoned houses and bachelor accommodation and check any suspicious areas or actions in the neighbourhood.
