Khaleej Times, Saturday, Feb 25, 2023 | Sha'ban 05, 1444
UAE: Police summit to address challenges in tackling crime and enhancing safety
Emirates:
A three-day police summit aims to bring together top police personnel, security
leaders, law enforcement officials, and experts worldwide to share their
knowledge and experience, and discuss the most significant global challenges in
combating crime and enhancing safety.
The Dubai Police General Command is hosting the 2nd edition of the World Police
Summit, which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre from March 7-9, 2023.
The announcement was made during a press conference held at the Dubai Police
Innovation Lab on Thursday, in the presence of Dr. Major General Abdul Quddus
Abdul Razzaq Al Obaidly, Assistant to Commander-in-Chief for Excellence and
Pioneering Affairs; Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director General of the Emirates
News Agency (WAM); Brigadier Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al Mualla, Director of the
General Department of Excellence and Pioneering at Dubai Police, Dr. Colonel
Abdul Rahman Sharaf Al Maamari, Deputy Director of Hemaya International Centre
at the General Department of Anti-Narcotics, and a number of directors of
general departments and police stations, officers, and media representatives.
Communication technology
At the beginning of his statement, Al Obaidly pointed out that transnational
organised crime can take many forms and is constantly evolving, especially those
associated with technology, and criminals have become more skilled at hiding
their dangerous criminal activities while they are thousands of miles away from
victims. "This requires effective responses grounded in strengthening
international cooperation between police and security agencies and law
enforcement agencies, as well as developing new swift communication channels for
rapid cooperation and intelligence exchange," he said.
100th year
He added, "We always strive, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Interior, to
consolidate our cooperative efforts with the International Criminal Police
Organisation (Interpol), who is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, to
support its efforts in combating and preventing organised crime, and to further
contribute to coordination and communication operations between active police
agencies across the world."
He reaffirmed that during the World Police Summit, experts, police leaders and
law enforcement officials would discuss the most resilient and innovative
methods in police work to implement best practices in combating organised crime
and keep pace with the most sophisticated criminal techniques.
Innovation & resilience
Al Obaidly also explained that the 'Innovation & Resilience in Police Work'
conference features various topics, including road safety and security,
innovation and technology and factors affecting their adoption across global
police agencies, organisational agility, gender balance, and quality management.
Drones
Al Mualla pointed out that drones are becoming a crucial tool in supporting law
enforcement efforts. "From front-line operations to surveillance, drones are
helping police forces tackle a wide range of tasks. During the World Police
Summit, law enforcement officials and experts will explore the latest
advancements in unmanned aerial systems and their impact on various police
missions, including emergency response and crime scene investigation", he
continued.
K9
He also indicated that the World Police Summit's K9 Conference will bring
together top canine experts from around the world to share and showcase proven
training and handling strategies for law enforcement. "Senior police officials
will have a great opportunity to gain insights into the latest technologies and
innovations that can improve K9 training programs, enhance their senses, and
support the proper breeding of police dogs.
Technology exhibition
Al Mualla stated that the Summit includes six conferences: Innovation &
Resilience in Police Work, Forensic Sciences, Prevent Crime, Drug Control,
Drones, and Police Dogs Conference. The Summit will also include an
international exhibition showcasing pioneering technologies that enhance police
and security work.
Anti-narcotics conference
Al Maamari indicated that the Anti-narcotics conference will bring together key
stakeholders to engage in high-level discussions on the complexities of the drug
trade across economies and explore innovative programs to raise community
awareness of the dangers of psychotropic substances, address addiction, and
support rehabilitation. He also pointed out that the fight against drug
trafficking and abuse requires a collaborative effort between law enforcement
agencies, police forces, governments, and public health organisations to raise
awareness and prevent addiction in communities.
Roadpol
Al Mualla also revealed that in conjunction with the World Police Summit, Dubai
will be hosting the 'Roadpol 2023 Spring Meeting' of European Roads Policing
Network (Roadpol), which is being held for the first time outside Europe from
the 4th to the 6th of March.
"The meeting will gather Roadpol Council members, traffic police officers from
various European countries, and task forces specialized in road safety and
security operations and technology, to discuss ways to reduce fatalities and
serious injuries on Europe's roads," he added.
Crime prevention
Al Muaini said that the crime prevention conference will provide a high-level
platform to examine the immediate priorities facing police forces and law
enforcement agencies in the wake of shifting crime forms, the availability and
access to sophisticated technologies, and altering criminal motives.
"The conference will delve into the latest techniques and technologies in the
fight against crime, including focused tracks on Crime and Criminal Justice,
Financial Crime and Anti-Money Laundering, and Cybercrime which will facilitate
the development of future-proofed strategies to enhance public safety," he
continued.
Forensic science conference
Meanwhile, Al Mansouri pointed out that advances in forensic science play a
crucial role in driving progress across numerous industries, including law
enforcement. "The World Police Summit's Forensic Science conference will bring
together international experts, scientists, and researchers to showcase the
latest scientific and technical developments in the field," he added.
Communication networks
He highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships between law
enforcement agencies worldwide and improving communication networks and
cooperation mechanisms for exchanging intelligence and expertise. He emphasised
that such efforts are essential to effectively combat drug trafficking,
smuggling, and promotion.
He continued, "Drug trafficking syndicates constantly introduce new methods for
smuggling and promoting their toxins, some highly complex and subtle." He also
noted that one of the emerging methods used by traffickers is smuggling drugs in
liquid form and then converting them into a solid state once they reach the
final destination.
International cooperation
Al Mansouri stressed the importance of organising and holding regional and
global conferences, such as the World Police Summit, to discuss drug control
issues and enhance international cooperation and coordination between police
leaders and law enforcement agencies through the International Criminal Police
Organisation (Interpol).
209 international fugitives
He also revealed that over the last three years, the Dubai Police, in
cooperation with liaison officers, has passed on 653 vital security tips to 43
countries, which has resulted in the arrest of 209 international fugitives and
the seizure of 12 tonnes and 773 kilograms of drugs with an estimated street
value of Dh143,391,610.
He also cited specific examples of international cooperation, including the
Dubai Police's work with Canadian authorities, which led to the seizure of 2.5
tonnes of opium with a value of over 50 million Canadian dollars hidden within
247 shipping pallets of 19 shipping containers.
Al Mansouri emphasized that uniting international efforts and strengthening
communication networks between law enforcement agencies is the only way to
combat organized crime across borders, which will be a focus of discussion at
the upcoming World Police Summit 2023.
Fight against crime
He confirmed that police and security work is integrated between all its
sectors. Therefore, the Summit addresses various challenges to combat crime and
enhance safety through its conferences. “The 'Forensic Science' Conference will
feature the DNA data privacy and security challenges and the ability to handle
large and complex data sets,” he concluded.