Dubai Police reach out to Pakistani expats to alley security concerns
dubai — Pakistani expats are being encouraged to report cases via the smart police stations of the emirate as it could potentially help reduce the crime rate within the community, a top Dubai Police official has said.
The suggestion was made during a symposium held by the Dubai Police for the community, where various ways of increasing awareness and security measures were discussed. Officials from the Pakistan Consulate also attended the event.
Throughout the conference, high-ranking police officers interacted with the community, answering some of their most pressing concerns.
Khalid Mohammed Banasser, head of the criminal section of the Smart Police Station (SPS) , told Khaleej Times that the SPS would allow residents to file cases and complaints through a system where “no human interaction is needed”.
He said this should encourage more people to come forward as, sometimes, “people can be scared of the police”.
“The SPS has been opened now and there are four of them in Dubai. It’s open 24/7 and we’re serving the public in four languages. I hope that in the future, if anyone has any problems, they’ll come to the station and we’ll guide them through it. It will help them (Pakistanis) very much. If they are in any kind of trouble, we can help them and prevent them from falling victim to any crime.”
He added that many of the cases involving Pakistani expats are related to fraud and forgery.
“Some people can’t tell the difference between original and fake documents. Sometimes, they sign it without knowing they’ll be charged for it in the future. Some people have had their passports and IDs used by someone who was committing crimes,” Banasser said.
Brig Rashid Al Muhary, head of the Criminal Investigation Department, said: “Pakistanis make up the second biggest expat community in the UAE. The Dubai Police have rolled out services that are meant to benefit everyone in society.
“Once they get to understand this system, they would be able to communicate with us better. They would be able to help us in reaching our aim and goals better. They’ll be able to tell us their needs and we’ll be able to help the Pakistani community.”
Pakistan Consul-General Ahmed Amjad Ali told Khaleej Times that the crime rate within the community is considered to be at a minor scale, taking into account the number of Pakistani expats in the country.
He said: “When it comes to the ratio between the population, crime rate and people in jail — it’s negligible. But things can improve.”
I hope that in the future, if anyone has any problems, they’ll come to the station and we’ll guide them through it. If they are in any kind of trouble, we can help them and prevent them from falling victim to any crime.”
Khalid Mohammed Banasser, head of the criminal section, Smart Police
Station, Dubai Police