UAE: Police summit to address challenges in tackling crime and enhancing safety

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.

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.