Policing as a profession in the Gulf

The ministry responsible for a police force can set standards for professionalism through: value and mission statements; establishment of codes of conduct; and setting of standards for such requirements as training and education.

However, it is the establishment and enforcement of national competency standards which are likely to have the greatest effect on allowing the Policing occupation to be seen as a true Profession.

The word 'Profession' is commonly equated to those who 'profess' to being and expert or proficient within an occupational domain. Most commonly, professions relate to occupations in medicine, accounting or law for example.

So, what does this mean for the policing occupation and what criteria are applied for policing to be seen as a true profession? What is the key issue for the attainment of 'professional status' of the policing occupation in the Gulf?

Police services in the Gulf States vary somewhat from country to country in terms of structure and accountabilities but have in common a responsibility for internal security within their respective borders. In exercising its obligations for protecting the public and maintaining law and order, the police force is generally required to adhere to a rigorous code of ethics and professional conduct.

This is one criterion for the recognition of policing as a profession, but other criteria which might be applied include: the attainment of a specialist body of knowledge and expert skills; the requirement for a high level of personal judgment; personal accountability for actions taken; and the establishment of professional codes which include enforcement of education and training requirements.

Generally, the key issue for police organizations in the Gulf is the same as for police entities the world over. The challenge is to maintain the requisite body of knowledge in an ever changing world and this means establishing and maintaining the core competencies of the occupation so as it may be judged as continually 'professional', even in light of new challenges as they are presented.

There is a widespread view that the role of the police in most countries is changing rapidly but the exact nature of the transformation and the manner in which such changes are being dealt with varies considerably from country to country.

As in most other parts of the world, the conditions, constraints and complexities of policing have increased as the nature of society has evolved in the Gulf. A different type of police officer is required in the complex world in which we now live.

The modern-day police officer must be mature, aware of societal and ethnic issues and influences, and must be educated and well trained to perform the duties assigned in a manner which society would deem as 'professional'.

While police must deal with the constant traditional sources of crime, such as drug related activities, examples of more recent threats to Gulf society include the opportunity for 'white-collar' crime, which may encompass 'electronic crime' (E-Crime) and other forms of financial fraud.

With an increasingly global outlook, the Gulf States must be equipped to deal with issues relating to financial sector crimes and this includes equipping police to deal with such matters within the established legal framework. Such evolving crimes are not just a matter of individual opportunity crime for personal gain.

These offences are increasingly the domain of Organized Crime gangs and include the laundering of ill gotten gains. The issue of financing of terrorist activity and the movement of funds to terrorist organizations is of concern to all governments and there is a clear role for police to deter such activity.

The Gulf States are not alone in recognizing and addressing these challenges. Rather, they are matters with which every police force has to come to grips with.

The key is to establish a police qualification framework within which police are educated and trained according to the developing needs of the organization and society at large. The Police Force should regard establishment of such a framework as the essential building block for developing and maintaining professionalism in light of evolving threats to, and expectations of, society.