Dubai police organise first community policing forum

Dubai: Dubai Police organised the UAE’s first community policing forum on Tuesday at Dubai Frame.

The forum aims to highlight the importance of maintaining a positive relationship between law enforcement agencies and members of the society.

Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs at Dubai Police, said that community policing is a soft power that facilitates crime prevention and helps enhance the quality of life. He added that it is imperative that law enforcement agencies invest time in their communities so they can build relationships and gain the public’s confidence.

‘Promoting public safety’

“As policing continues to evolve and new policing models such as intelligence-led policing and evidence-based policing arise, community-oriented policing remains an effective way to promote public safety and to enhance the quality of life in a community” Maj Gen Al Mansouri said.

The forum was attended by senior police officers from the Singapore Police, Ministry of Interior in UAE, and all police departments in the country as well as officials from the Community Development Authority (CDA) and Dubai Municipality.

Lieutenant Colonel Aref Beshou, Director of Crime Prevention Department at Dubai Police, said police and communities thrive only when they work closely together and have a high degree of trust between them. “That’s why Dubai Police have introduced many communication channels with the community and has always been keen on being present at all community-based initiatives,” he said.

Active community protection

AC Shng Yunn Chinn, Director of Community Partnership Department at the Singapore Police Force, joined the forum online and presented a paper highlighting the Force’s Community Engagement Masterplan 2030, which aims at strengthening trust with the community, empowering community and developing community engagement.

“When the police are present in the neighbourhood, residents feel more secure. This feeling of security helps the police establish trust within the community. As citizens become more active in protecting their community, they start to understand what officers do on a daily basis. This improves police-community relations. Ultimately, quality of life [is improved] and crime is prevented,” he added.