CSI UAE: first female expert on the case

Viewers may have become accustomed to seeing women vying with men in unraveling murder in the famous US TV series crime scene investigation (CSI). Now it is time to get used to a CSI woman in the UAE—this time in real life.

Mariam Abdullah Khalaf has just joined the firearms and tools examination section at Dubai’s criminal investigation department to become the first Emirati woman to work in this field that is directly associated with detecting crime.

Mariam, a chemistry graduate from Al Ain-based Emirates University, has already contributed along with other staff members to the unraveling of 20 criminal cases in Dubai and she believes her job requires self-confidence and strength since she has to move swiftly to the crime scene.

“My job requires self confidence and strength so I can move quickly to the crime scene to get fingerprints and deal with shooting and other incidents…it is an exciting job and we have to keep abreast with all modern techniques in this field so we can detect new criminal methods,” she said.

“The nature of my work is based on accuracy, scientific observation and high efficiency in dealing with various criminal cases whether they involve firearms, machines or tools…my field of study is directly associated with this type of work as I have enough knowledge about gunpowder and other crime related stuff.”

According to the department’s director Lt Colonel Nasser Al Shamsi, Mariam is the first Emirati woman to work in this field in the UAE.

“Mariam is doing her job as efficiently as men,” he said, quoted by the Dubai-based Arabic language daily Emirat Alyoum.

“She has just joined this section and is now playing a key role in maintaining security and stability in the country by unraveling murder and fighting crime.”