Lieutenant-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina (left)
Dubai - Al Mazeina was committed to the city he loved and to its residents. Social media users were shocked by his demise and said he would be missed.
Published: Sat 26 Nov 2016, 10:18 PM
Tributes poured in for the departed Dubai Police chief, Lieutenant-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, who was laid to rest by tearful mourners on Friday. Al Mazeina suffered a heart attack on Thursday evening, and died at Rashid Hospital. Thousands thronged the Al Qusais cemetery to bid their final farewell to the Commander-in-Chief. Residents praised him for his efforts to keep the city safe.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, led tributes to the distinguished policeman, who he lauded as a true leader. "UAE has lost one of its loyal men. Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina was a leader, a soldier who served his country and a father to a great family. May God have mercy on his soul," Shaikh Mohammed tweeted.
Al Mazeina was committed to the city he loved and to its residents. Social media users were shocked by his demise and said he would be missed.
"He was the right person for the job, as he was known for his dedication to excellence and best police practices," said Dubai's former police chief Lt-Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, who now serves as Deputy-Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security.
Al Mazeina joined the force in 1983 and rose to become Commander-in-Chief in 2013.
"God have mercy on Al Mazeina. He lived every day dedicated to his work and his country," tweeted Lt-Gen Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said the police chief "did not work for the present but for the glory and future of his homeland".
Others who attended the funeral prayers at Zabeel Grand Mosque were Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed; Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance; Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; other Shaikhs and officials.
Thousands bid farewell to Dubai Police chief
UAE leaders and thousands of residents bid adieu on Friday to the Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, Lieutenant-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, who died on Thursday night at the Rashid Hospital of a heart attack. He was 55 years old. He is survived by his wife, a son and three daughters.
The funeral prayers were held at Zabeel Grand Mosque after Friday prayers, and Al Mazeina was laid to rest at Al Qusais cemetery. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended the funeral prayers along with other leaders and senior officials.
Condolences poured in from scores of people early on Friday morning. Leaders and UAE people flooded social media on Friday with condolence messages and remembering the achievements of Lt-Gen Al Mazeina during his tenure serving the emirate and the UAE.
Shaikh Mohammed sent out a series of tweets on Friday morning. "My personal condolences to the family of Khamis Matar and his companions, the people of Dubai and the people of the UAE," he said in one of the tweets.
Showing respect to the police chief, the Dubai police turned its red logo into black and white on social media.
Al Mazeina gained love and trust of the UAE people and Shaikh Mohammed for his sincere contributions to maintaining security. He continued his dedication to excellence and keeping Dubai peaceful and secure, while cooperating with authorities from around the world.
Lt-Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, the Deputy-Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security, said that Al Mazeina always worked hard to ensure that Dubai remained safe and stable. He said that bidding farewell to Al Mazeina is so hard and it is difficult to choose another officer with similar leadership capabilities. "We travelled a long way together as co-workers. He was promoted as deputy to me, and then I appointed him as police chief because I knew his integrity and eagerness to work."
Major-General Abdul Rahman Rafi, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police for Community Affairs Services, said he lost a dear friend and colleague with clean hands and sincere work.
He stressed that Al Mazeina had never been a boss, but a brother to all in the police force.
Major-General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police for Criminal Investigation, said that death of Al Mazeina is a huge loss for Dubai. "We have learned a lot from him. He was a living example of the guardian of security."
Major-General Mohammed Saif Al Zafeen, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Operation Affairs, said Al Mazeina was a unique policeman. "He cares about every detail and pursue small and big issues with passion."
Brigadier Co-Pilot Ahmad Mohammed bin Thani, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police for Ports, said: "I worked with him for decades. As his assistant, he guided me on the right way and he was an example of hard work.
On Friday, those who performed the funeral prayers at Zabeel Grand Mosque included Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance; Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Lt-Gen Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; and Shaikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
He was a friendly and transparent officer
Lieutenant-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police, always had a very good relation with media and Khaleej Times is proud that we had a distinguished presence in the Dubai Police Chief's efforts to keep Dubai safe and secure.
Once, in an interview with Khaleej Times, he discussed the major security issues in Dubai in detail and elaborated on the measures being taken by the Dubai Police to keep Dubai 'safe and secure'.
An undercover expert who has cracked scores of criminal networks, busted many organised gangs, stung many drug cartels and solved several murder mysteries, he always believed that the common man should have a feel of security while in Dubai.
Personally, I knew him for last 14 years as a man of integrity and an officer who had been sure and confident about what he was doing. For me, Lt.-Gen. Al Mazeina was a man with a pleasant face and a very good sense of humour. Even while attending serious Press meets, he used to present matters in a jocular sense, but without losing the seriousness of the matter.
As a senior officer, his doors were always open to me and I had every freedom to ask him about the police activities even when he was the director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation. He always respected media and found time to spend with them to listen to their points and answer their queries. He knew every reporter personally and was keen to solve their problems, if any.
He was a transparent officer, even in front of the media. At the same time, he knew when and how to talk. On some questions which affect the confidentiality of the department, he had a smile as answer.
A recent initiative of holding open meetings with residents to listen to their complaints and solve them on the spot is proof of his transparency.
In the white kandoora and dishdasha, he would easily pass of as any other Emirati commoner. But, the slim six-footer's gait displays the agility of an athlete. Behind his calculated smile was a shrewd sleuth with an X-Ray vision that could see through the deceptive appearance of the most sophisticated criminals.
For other police staff, Lt-Gen Al Mazeina was a person who treated all of them with respect, love and care. He always encouraged them to be fair and to enhance their skills, but at the same time, considered their humanitarian issues. For many in the Dubai Police, they lost an elder brother along with a considering senior officer. While he was strict in keeping the law and order and preserving the legal system, he always valued the human rights of the people. His interest in maintaining the human rights was visible in his treatment of labourers' issues in the emirate.
His efforts on reducing traffic accidents, establishing a special unit to ensure safety and security of tourists, and drive against drug use were all proofs of the police officer with a vision.
Al Mazeina's major accomplishments
In his career of 33 years, Lt.-Gen. Al Mazeina was instrumental in solving a number of high-profile cases. Some of those are:
Wafi Mall heist in 2009
Assassination of Hamas leader in Dubai
Murder of Lebanese singer Suzan Tamim.
Rape of a four-year-old boy in a Dubai mosque
Death mystery of eight-year-old Wadeema, who was killed by her father and step mother
Arrest of head of a notorious Italian mafia group
Rape and murder of a Jordanian boy named Obaida, who was kidnapped from Sharjah
He led the investigation team which solved the sensational murder case of a Filipina, whose headless body was found in a desert area in Al Warqa'a on Academic City Road.
An inspiring career
Lt-Gen Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina joined the Dubai Police forces 33 years ago, in 1983
He was appointed as an officer at the General Department of Anti-Narcotics on June 20, 1993.
He became the director the Criminal Investigation Section in 1997
Appointed as the Director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation in 2004.
Became the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police in 2008 and the chief of the Dubai Police on November 23, 2013
His final days
Officers close to Al Mazeina said that he started to have some health problems recently, but he continued to work without rest.
On Wednesday, he had an inspection at the General Department of Happiness and hours before his death on Thursday, he attended the Innovation Week programmes, which was attended by Shaikh Mohammed. Sources also said he attended meetings related to Dubai Future Accelerators and signed an agreement.
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