DOHA: While many of us have seen the new black and white police cars with the Al Fazaa logo on the streets of Qatar, many are still unaware of the role this new police force plays.
To clarify the name; Al Fazaa in Arabic is what you would call out when in need of assistance and help. The aim of the newly launched police force is to provide security and assistance to all residents of Doha.
"Al Fazaa will further reduce the response time in emergency cases in Doha" Colonel Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Faisal Al Thani, who is in charge of the Al Fazaa police force, told The Peninsula.
"Al Fazaa, who were first introduced to the public in March this year, will also be extending help to citizens and expatriates, providing social and humanitarian support," he added.
Al Fazaa will specifically cover Doha and all highways and routes leading to and from the city. Doha has been divided into 13 areas by the interior ministry and Al Fazaa will be spread across these areas depending on the population density, ensuring adequate patrolling, intensifying surveillance and improving the level of coverage on the outer roads.
It will be present on all major highways leading to and from Doha, such as on the Salwa, Al Khor and Dukhan highways, which are vital traffic arteries in Qatar. Al Fazaa will also make sure these roads are safe, and will assist anyone in need.
Important roads in Doha are often heavily crowded, and an accident can lead to traffic jams for hours sometimes. Al Fazaa will provide assistance in these situations as well.
"They were formed to complement all other security forces in Doha, and assist all other departments in the ministry, such as in the case of fire, public disputes or any emergency situations requiring aid, or even just providing information for those seeking help on the street," said Sheikh Abdul Aziz.
The Al Fazaa police force is highly trained in various courses prepared by the ministry. "Most importantly, Al Fazaa police are required to have an all-encompassing knowledge of various laws and rules in Qatar," added Sheikh Abdul Aziz. They also are required to get special training on social interaction and how to deal with various situations professionally. They are trained in handling firearms and are required to take vigorous fitness training.
"We have also worked in conjunction with Hamad Medical Corporation, where they have taken first aid and emergency training courses. They have also have been trained to arrange areas for emergency helicopter landing in coordination with HMC.
By Jaber Al Musallam
© The Peninsula 2009
