'We're here to help': Meet the Dubai Police officers who speak multiple languages, to build community trust

Dubai: Sergeant Omar Muslim Aflatoon has lost count of the number of languages he has spoken while wearing the Dubai Police badge. Some conversations happen in Arabic. Others in English, Urdu or Bengali. Sometimes he switches to languages he knows just a little – Tagalog, Malayalam or even basic sign language … whatever it takes to communicate with the people who seek help from Dubai Police. His colleague, First Corporal Ahmed Mohammed Salem, does much the same, moving between Arabic, English, Hindi and German while helping residents who call Dubai Police’s Command and Control Centre on 999, often in some of the most stressful moments. For the two officers, the ability to assist people in a language they understand is one of the most effective tools for building trust in one of the world's most multicultural cities. The two officers were recently honoured by Dubai Police in recognition for their work in spreading awareness among different communities in Dubai, at events that are organised under the umbrella of Dubai Police's Positive Spirit Council events. The events help residents from different nationalities learn more about Dubai Police’s work in keeping the city safe and encourage them to reach out to Dubai Police when needed. Sergeant Omar and First Corporal Ahmed have played a key role in spearheading the outreach efforts Building trust Policing in a city like Dubai, which is home to people from all across the world, requires officers to regularly interact with different nationalities. For Sergeant Omar, who joined the police force in 1989, being multilingual was a natural result of growing up in a city like Dubai. “I push myself to talk to people even if I don’t know their language very well. Over time, little by little, I am able to talk to them. That’s why I can also speak a little bit of Tagalog, Malayalam, Russian … even sign language.” - Sergeant Omar Muslim AflatoonnPhoto credit: Ashok Verma “While I studied at a public school and mostly spoke Arabic, a lot of my friends in my neighbourhood, and those I’d play football with, were from India and Pakistan,” he said. Growing up, he would see his father – who was also a Dubai Police officer, wear his uniform – something that inspired him to join the police force as well “Since I saw the uniform on him, and the respect people showed to that uniform and to my father, I said to myself that I will also join Dubai Police,” he said. As a young officer, Sergeant Omar first joined the Criminal Investigation Department at the Al Muraqqabat Police Station, before moving to the security department. Since 2004, though, he has been part of Dubai Police’s traffic department and as part of the Positive Spirit Council, he delivers awareness lectures in Arabic, English, Urdu, and Bengali. “I push myself to talk to people even if I don’t know their language very well. Over time, little by little, I am able to talk to them. That’s why I can also speak a little bit of Tagalog, Malayalam, Russian … even sign language,” he said. That’s because even as English is often considered the international language, many people are only able to communicate in their mother tongue, according to Sergeant Omar. This motivates him to make a conscious effort to put people at ease, as they may have a mix of anxiety approaching the police as well as the worry of facing a language barrier. “When people come to us, we try to make their experience easy, we even try to crack jokes, because I know many people might assume that policemen can seem unapproachable, but here in Dubai we are very friendly with everybody. This is why Dubai Police’s communication with other nationalities is excellent,” he said. Speaking calmly in a crisis First Corporal Ahmed’s journey, too, started at an early age, when he joined Dubai Police in 2006 at the age of 18, fulfilling his childhood dream. “I try to learn the language enough so that I can have a basic conversation with the people who call us. They are often in an emergency and you have to help them." - First Corporal Ahmed Mohammed Salem Ever since he joined the police force, he has worked in the Command and Control Centre – 999, coordinating emergency responses, dispatching patrols and ambulances, and helping save lives. As a child, First Corporal Ahmed loved watching Indian movies, and that was his first introduction to the Hindi language. “I had friends from India and Pakistan, and I learned from them as well. After I joined Dubai Police, I also took a one-year course to study German, so it allows me to help people who speak German when they call us,” he said. Over the years, he has also picked up other languages, as he works to support people who reach out to Dubai Police through the 999 emergency number. “I try to learn the language enough so that I can have a basic conversation with the people who call us. They are often in an emergency and you have to help them,” he said. Working as a team The two officers also go back a long way. As the two joined