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More Cops Take to Foreign Languages
ABU DHABI - Apart from fighting crime, police officers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are equally serious about fighting the language barrier as thousands of officers have picked up foreign languages during the past four years, according to a report by 999 magazine.
- PUBLISHED: Tue 5 Jan 2010, 10:38 PM UPDATED: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 2:22 PM
- By:
- WAM
The report says that it has become a common scene at UAE airports to see police officers communicating in the native languages of tourists they are dealing with, thanks to extensive language programmes introduced, which are aimed at enabling police staff of all ranks to communicate in widely spoken foreign languages. The need for such programmes emerged as the UAE plays host to more than 200 nationalities speaking over 100 different languages.
Lieutenant Colonel Thani Butti Al Shamsi, Director of the Training Department at Abu Dhabi Police Headquarters, underlined the fact that the department had given increased attention to language courses since 2007. He highlighted the initiatives undertaken by the police department in focusing on foreign language efficiency among police staff. This is how 'front desks' have been created at various departments, which interact directly with the general public, said Lt Col Al Shamsi.
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Courses were first focused on officers, but were later extended to all police employees. English was the centre of attention, but the police headquarters later included other languages including Chinese, Russian, Japanese and others.
“There are various divisions that require language courses for their staff, like the Criminal Investigation Department, Corrections and Reformation Centres, Immigration and Residency, airports and traffic departments,” said Lt Col Al Shamsi.
He said the interest in languages sprang from the vital role of communication with the public from a security perspective. “For instance, the policemen at a prison centre have to have some knowledge of certain languages to facilitate their work in explaining rules and regulations to the inmates, and also to understand conversations between an inmate and others,” he added.
He said his department provides high quality training programmes to the various sections, in coordination with external experts. Last year, in all 230 employees attended language training courses. This year, 77 employees benefitted from language courses. The cost per person ranges from Dh2,000 to Dh4,000.
He added that language training was not restricted to local programmes but was also extended to overseas courses.
Special language training material will be designed for the so-called 'Golden Triangle' (as nicknamed in the Abu Dhabi Police training jargon) which consists of the Traffic and Patrols Department, Passports and Residency Department and the Airport). Some 80 per cent of the general public deal with these 'Golden Triangle' departments. The training material will incorporate all terms needed by each department, which will make the interaction with the public very smooth.
In Dubai, the report said, a policeman can learn to speak English, German, Russian and Chinese, in addition to Urdu and Persian. However, Arabic remains the mother tongue for all policemen.
Following instructions from Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander in Chief of Dubai Police, a language centre was set up at the Dubai Police Academy. The centre started operations in 1989 with one foreign language - English. As Russian and Chinese communities got larger, Russian and Chinese were added. With more policemen speaking foreign languages, the dependence on interpreters came down.
Dr. Issam Dablan, director of the centre, told 999 that currently, the centre also teaches German. Dr. Dablan said the duration of a language course is from one year to 18 months.
English language courses have six levels, and the level of a given student is ascertained through a special exam, said Agent Musaaed Abood, coordinator at the Security Language Centre. “Many students are senior officers. All have the willingness to learn foreign languages,” he said.
In 2009, 465 police staff learned English, 32 picked up German, 19 Russian and 23 Chinese. The centre also prepares students for Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and this year, 80 students graduated.
