IMPROVING TRAINING IN THE ABU DHABI POLICE

DEPARTMENT

Improving Training in the Abu Dhabi Police Department



Introduction

Law enforcement agencies are present to sustain peace and tranquillity in society, keeping criminal activities at bay. Every country has multiple law enforcement agencies that are different branches tasked with supervising the law and order of the country. The police, which is the basic representation of a law enforcement agency, are present in every country and, therefore, function accordingly to the government's rules and regulations imposed on them (Sorensen, 2010, p.1).

Moreover, along with training, these policemen are selected on criteria based on education, which is basically an undergraduate degree that not only helps them socially but also allows them to know about the rules and regulations governing the system. There are many departments in which the 15,000 police personnel are divided and they serve as the law-abiding agency trying to stop criminal activities and also enforce the law (Sorensen, 2010, p. 1).

The Abu Dhabi Police Department (ADPD) is trying to eliminate any trace of crime that exists, though the crime rate is much lower in Abu Dhabi than in other neighbouring cities. Along with putting an end to criminal activities, they are trying to engage in community and social welfare as part of an initiative taken by the Abu Dhabi General Headquarters (Tourenq, 2008, p.283).

Literature Review

The police force of Abu Dhabi was formed in 1957 under the influence of the ruler of that time, which was Abu Dhabi Sheikh Shakbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan. There were 80 officers tasked with guarding royal locations, markets, banks, and shipping. By 1959, the force had grown from 80 to 150 and the headquarters were based to the north of Al Hosn Palace in the centre of the city (Tourenq, 2008, p. 283).

Since then, the development and expansion of the police force of Abu Dhabi has continued and, since 1995, it has been under the command of His Highness Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Police Commander, the Minister of Interior, and the Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE. When initially created, the ADPD was responsible for escorting rulers and sheikhs. From there, in October 1968, the ADPD's Criminal Investigation Branch became operational and, earlier that same year in June, the Traffic Department began registering vehicles as part of the ADPD, registering 10,000 in its first year. Thus, today, the hierarchy of the Abu Dhabi police force is divided into three categories - policemen, cadets, and guards. These categories came into existence, in part, by evaluating the ADPD employees' educational levels. It is now mandatory that everyone applying should have at least a proper educational level - especially a bachelor's degree (Youakim, 2008, p.1047).

When it comes to fighting criminal activity, the Abu Dhabi government is employing all its capabilities to curb this threat by providing assistance to those suffering from drug addiction, while still protecting their privacy. Several government agencies have adopted ideas and initiatives to help eliminate this negative phenomenon in ...