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Government seeks public help for crime-free society

ABU DHABI - A senior official at the Ministry of Interior has urged all segments of the society to join hands with the government in preventing crime.

Briefing the media on anti-crime campaign to be launched by the ministry next month, Major-General Khalifa Hareb Al Khiaili, Assistant Under-Secretary for Administrative and Planning Affairs, said though the UAE was ranked among the countries with lowest crime rate in the world, but all segments of the society should play their respective role in making the society crime-free.

"The international community is suffering from cross-border and organised crimes. Fortunately, the UAE is among the countries that enjoy the lowest crime rate in the world, thanks to the farsighted policies of our leadership. However, efforts have to be put in by all segments of the society to prevent crime, a responsibility which we cannot shoulder alone," said Maj-Gen Khiaili, who is also Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee for National Security Awareness Campaign.

He said the committee had chosen the theme: "Security is Everyone's Responsibility" to ensure that everybody's effort matters and the need to involve community members in prevention efforts.

"This theme underlines the importance of joint cooperation and involvement of community members and security men to ensure public security. It reflects that crime prevention is not only the responsibility of the authorities, all social segments and institutions as well as individuals should play a significant role in boosting security and stability in the country through effective cooperation and coordination with the policemen," Maj-Gen Khiaili said.

The meeting, which was attended by the campaign's action team and journalists including columnists and investigative report writers, discussed the media's role in spreading awareness among the public about crime. It also discussed preparations for a nationwide campaign, which will be launched in last February.

Maj-Gen Khiaili said a specialised action team was formed to chalk out mechanisms and put in place methods used in crime prevention.

Ibrahim Al Abed, Advisor to the Ministry of Information and Culture and Head of the Media Committee of the campaign, said the drive was in line with the ministry's efforts to spread awareness about the dangers posed by crime and the need to establish this concept through educating the successive generations.

He said: "The good news is that the campaign would be a big a success as it is being held in a country where there is no crime."

Mr Abed said a number of institutions and departments would take part in the campaign and the outcome of the campaign might be incorporated in school curriculum to help spread the culture of crime prevention.

According to the plan, the campaign will include TV programmes and fillers on several channels, live shows addressing crime-related topics, and round-the-clock radio educational programmes. It will also include distribution of brochures, posters, advertisements, and features in local papers. Booklets will be distributed among the schoolchildren.

The drive will also be staged via the Internet and multimedia systems. A laser CD containing educational and recreational material will be distributed. A special web site for the campaign will be launched. SMS messages and e-mails will be sent to the largest possible number of subscribers.

There will also be open public interactive educational corners in all the emirates where contests will be organised and prizes will be given out to winners. Other venues where the campaign will be staged include mosques where Friday sermons will include messages urging for crime prevention.

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