Sheikh Sultan opens Sharjah Police HQ, stresses honour, reputation irreplaceable

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, officially inaugurated the new Sharjah Police General Command and Operations Centre building.

The ceremony was attended by Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.

During the event, Sheikh Sultan praised the new corporate identity of the facility and approved the promotion of 4,138 military personnel in the emirate's regular forces, with the promotions to take effect retroactively.

In his speech, he emphasised that while everything in the world can be compensated for, honour and reputation are irreplaceable. Once lost, they cannot be regained and become a lasting stigma and disgrace.

Sheikh Sultan urged security personnel to exercise extreme caution before making arrests, ensuring that no harm comes to innocent individuals.

He advised police officers to make decisions that minimise harm to individuals, particularly when considering imprisonment, in order to protect their reputation within the community and among their peers.

He emphasised that interactions with people must be conducted with professionalism, ethics, and grounded in accurate and reliable information.
Sheikh Sultan urged security personnel to be flexible in their approach to dealing with people, despite the challenges they face in their duties.

He highlighted that flexibility involves overlooking matters that affect people's honour, especially when these issues can be resolved, with the goal of enhancing societal unity and preserving its well-being.

The Ruler of Sharjah also emphasised the importance of easing financial-related problems. He personally strives to address the concerns of this group by offering grace periods or reducing their hardships, stressing that he is committed to avoiding imprisonment whenever possible. His Highness expressed his desire to prevent individuals from being labeled as "prison graduates," even if they have only been incarcerated once.

Sheikh Sultan explained that prison is not meant for humiliation or torture, but for reform and discipline. He emphasised that one of the key responsibilities of security personnel is to rehabilitate individuals, not to punish them.

He acknowledged that, like anyone, some people may make mistakes, and others may be arrested unjustly. In such cases, their rights must be restored, and they should be provided with conditions that ensure a comfortable and dignified life, rather than being treated as criminals deserving of punishment.

He pointed out that the penal code does not prescribe equal sentences, and as such, wrongdoers should not be treated the same or placed together in prison cells. He stressed the importance of separating convicts, as there are those who are repeat offenders and those who are incarcerated for the first time.

The negative influence in prison can corrupt the positive, so it is essential to isolate each group appropriately.

He explained that discipline in prisons should be rooted in treating individuals with kindness, paying attention to those who have committed offenses, and listening to them.

He emphasised that these individuals, like anyone else, were born with potential, but their upbringing may have been neglected, leaving them vulnerable to bad influences. Had they received proper guidance from their parents, they could have become positive members of society.

Sheikh Sultan stressed that the process of reforming both prisons and security starts at home, urging parents to raise their children in a way that promotes virtue. This, in turn, will foster a virtuous society and a virtuous city, where people uphold their religion, faith, Arab identity, customs, and traditions.

FOCUS ON FAMILY SUPPORT

Sheikh Sultan stressed that through the District councils he will work to communicate with the families and learn about the relationship between the father and his children and know their needs, explaining that he will not fail in providing everything that guarantees a decent life for families, directing the necessity of communicating the needs of the families, according to which Sheikh Sultan issues directives and decisions that reflect on society and its development.

Sheikh Sultan expressed his hope that others would hold him in high regard and that his message would reach every home, to both fathers and mothers.

He underlined the importance of providing for basic needs by creating jobs with generous salaries that would enable families to thrive despite rising living costs. His Highness also wished for widespread education on financial literacy, including the culture of saving, budgeting, and managing household finances, through regular lectures.

Additionally, he called for lessons on child-rearing and protecting children to be shared with the community.

The Ruler of Sharjah, explained that the rehabilitation of addicts will be managed through a dedicated centre overseen by the Sharjah Health Authority, which is responsible for supervising health facilities and can provide the necessary services for those seeking recovery. His Highness emphasised that addiction treatment is primarily psychological, and specialists will focus on healing and rehabilitating individuals.
WAM