Despite disapproval from his family, Maj-Gen. Ismail Abdullah Al Gergawi joined the Dubai Police in 1966. The veteran officer, who retired in 2004, was just a teenager when he joined the force.
“When I first joined the police force, it wasn’t considered a very popular career choice. My family was against it,” Al Gergawi told Khaleej Times. “But I was determined to serve my community, and I loved military work. There was no army, and when the police were established I joined them.”
The retired officer was among those recognised by the Dubai Police during a ceremony to mark the force’s 68th anniversary.
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In the early days, the Dubai Police Force was composed of members from diverse nationalities.
“Citizens at that time did not want to work in the Dubai Police, because it was something new and strange to them,” explained Al Gergawi. “Some joined the police, spent a week or 10 days, and then left.”
However, Al Gergawi persevered, and over time, more Emirati citizens joined the force.
“Four years later, more and more citizens came forward,” he said. “I continued working for more than 30 years, in operations, police stations, and traffic. I was also the director of the Dubai Police Academy.”
Over the years, Al Gergawi remained close with his colleagues from the early days of the Dubai Police. One of his long-time friends and fellow honourees at the ceremony was Maj-Gen. Juma Obaid Aman, who joined in 1970.
“In our era, there were none of these advanced technology; we all depended on our memory. We would not leave the crime scene until a week later. This was to make sure we had all the information we wanted,” Aman recalled.
“It was all about old-fashioned detective work – inspecting crime scenes, interviewing witnesses, piecing together evidence. But we took great pride in our physical and mental ability to solve even the most complex cases,” Aman explained.
Maj-Gen. Juma Obaid Al Sayegh, who joined in 1971, also reflected on past challenges.
“Things were not that easy. The days were long, but we enjoyed solving the cases from A to Z.”
He noted that the Dubai government has always been supportive of the police force, paving the way for them, and helping the force to develop.
In his speech honouring the veteran officers, Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, praised their contribution.
“Today we celebrate men who were true to what they promised God and were role models for serving their country. Today, we also pledge that we will do everything we can to make our emirate a homeland of security and safety,” he said.