minshawi
09-12-05, 10:43 PM
By Sabria S. Jawhar
The Saudi Gazette*
JEDDAH
TO step up its war against terrorism and crime, Saudi Arabia has revived a neighborhood watch in the Holy city of Makkah as a first step toward possible introduction of vigilantes all over the country, a Makkah Police official said.
Sixty neighborhood watch men graduated Saturday following a three-day intensive program and workshop at the Makkah police headquarters, said Col. Mohammed Minshawi, head of the Makkah Police Statistics and Criminal Research Center. The program is aimed at teaching them their duties in a way that prevents [them from committing] any abuse of their given authority.
Minshawi said the 60 graduates started their new job at 6 A.M Saturday, in King Fahd district in Makkah.
The vigilantes were not in police uniform. On the contrary they were dressed like civilians and used their own means of transportation, either cars of motorcycles. This is so that they do not stand out from other civilians.
They were divided into two 30-member groups working under the supervision of two police officers, and they carried relevant ID cards for use in emergencies only.
The volunteers would be connected and given quick access to the police station operations room in case they want to report any crime, Minshawi said.
The vigilantes duty is focused not only on security but also on those who tamper with public properties, for example, by writing graffiti on walls or dumping garbage in the streets.
The idea is to revive social communication in a neighborhood and increase the residents sense of responsibility as well as security.
But this doesn t mean giving up the role of the traditional police patrol, Minshawi said. Actually this would complete its (the patrols ) missions.
The 60 graduates were chosen according to specific criteria such as age and good conduct. The volunteer job is open to Saudi men only who are above 25 years of age, have educational qualifications not less than high school and who reside in the same neighborhood earmarked for the watch.
Eventually, expatriates would also be included in the government s new strategic plan for domestic security. They would be invited to join by registering their names as members of the Friends of Police Community. Women and youngsters are also welcome to contribute with their vigilance but not as members of the neighborhood watch, Minshawi said.
The project is the outcome of an intensive study conducted by Makkah Police, which would be presented as a working paper this month at a Dubai conference entitled The Concept of Social Police .
The study, that included a survey, showed that 48 percent of 804 people polled did not agree that security was the responsibility of policemen only. In fact, more than 74.2 percent of the respondents wanted other civil institution to participate in the security responsibility.
The respondents also emphasized the importance of giving members of the Friends of Police Community additional authority to solve some social problems and they expressed their readiness to join the neighborhood watch.
Saudi security experts believe that vigilante groups would contribute to reducing the crime rate, especially in poor and overcrowded neighborhoods where terrorists find haven.
This is a good administrative idea to curb the crime rate and to organize the social structure in a neighborhood , said Dr. Saleh Al-Zahrani, a member of the Shoura Council s Security Committee.
This would also add to the other security measures taken by the government to ensure the highest level of security within society, he said.
Zahrani said the authority given to vigilante groups should be determined according to the needs of society. However, he added, specific regulations must be laid down to govern the implementation of the whole idea.
Major General Ateeq Al-Harbi, director general of Makkah Police, said the ministry of Interior has agreed on the introduction of vigilante committees in Makkah city on an experimental basis. He was quoted by the Arabic daily Okaz as saying that the concept would bring about comprehensive security in society.
He said it also aims at creating more openness and cooperation between the traditional policeman and the different segments of society, in a manner that enhances the notion of security as a willing responsibility of each individual.
He said that several meetings were held among those who were in charge of implementing the concept of vigilante committees. Neighborhood watch would be implemented in Bath a Quraish, Shubaikah, Musfalah, Kudai. Nakkasah, Al- Mansour, Al-Tandabawi, Okaishah and King Fahd districts of Makkah city, he added.
The term vigilante is, however, a misnomer as it means anyone who takes the law into his own hands and operates in secret. The word stems from Vigiles Urbani, the name given to the nightwatchmen of Ancient Rome who were tasked with fighting fires and keeping a lookout for runaway slaves and burglars.
It is also said that the origins of the term comes from the Committees of Vigilance which dotted the western United States in the days following the California Gold Rush. At the time, there were few law enforcement officials in California so local citizens banded together to fight crime. Their actions worked and the crime rate in places like San Francisco was far lower than it is today. As one might also expect, some people abused their powers and government authorities later disbanded the committees.
Dr. Sultan Al Anqari, a security expert, said vigilante groups is not a new concept to Saudi society. We used to have what we call Assah, which is more like a group of night watchmen consisting of civilians who take care of neighborhoods and prevent crimes such as robbery taking place at night, he said, But the Assah job was abandoned later.
The vigilante committee is among other procedures implemented by the Kingdom as part of its domestic war against terrorism, he said. It helps in identifying any suspicious activity in any neighborhood by having control over security via its own residents.
He said most of the problems that Saudis security men faced in regard to terrorism recently stemmed mainly from the fact that strangers can easily sneak into any neighborhood without being identified by the residents due to lack of communication among them in the absence of official supervision. But now, he added, the vigilant groups would facilitate the process of identifying newcomers and watching their behavior. At the same time, the groups will help minimize the chances of parasitical elements hiding among good people.
Anqari believes that women should also be included in the vigilante committees. He said the fact that terrorists were using women s clothes to move about highlights the importance of including women in such programs. Besides, this could be the first step toward an official project of creating a full-fledged women s police force according to international standards, he added.
Hassan Al Subhi, a 45-year-old Makkah resident, was pleased and in total agreement with the new project But, he said, the ministry of Interior has also to guarantee that the groups will not abuse their powers by invading people s privacy.
الأعضاء فقط هم الذين يستطيعون مشاهدة الروابط
The Saudi Gazette*
JEDDAH
TO step up its war against terrorism and crime, Saudi Arabia has revived a neighborhood watch in the Holy city of Makkah as a first step toward possible introduction of vigilantes all over the country, a Makkah Police official said.
Sixty neighborhood watch men graduated Saturday following a three-day intensive program and workshop at the Makkah police headquarters, said Col. Mohammed Minshawi, head of the Makkah Police Statistics and Criminal Research Center. The program is aimed at teaching them their duties in a way that prevents [them from committing] any abuse of their given authority.
Minshawi said the 60 graduates started their new job at 6 A.M Saturday, in King Fahd district in Makkah.
The vigilantes were not in police uniform. On the contrary they were dressed like civilians and used their own means of transportation, either cars of motorcycles. This is so that they do not stand out from other civilians.
They were divided into two 30-member groups working under the supervision of two police officers, and they carried relevant ID cards for use in emergencies only.
The volunteers would be connected and given quick access to the police station operations room in case they want to report any crime, Minshawi said.
The vigilantes duty is focused not only on security but also on those who tamper with public properties, for example, by writing graffiti on walls or dumping garbage in the streets.
The idea is to revive social communication in a neighborhood and increase the residents sense of responsibility as well as security.
But this doesn t mean giving up the role of the traditional police patrol, Minshawi said. Actually this would complete its (the patrols ) missions.
The 60 graduates were chosen according to specific criteria such as age and good conduct. The volunteer job is open to Saudi men only who are above 25 years of age, have educational qualifications not less than high school and who reside in the same neighborhood earmarked for the watch.
Eventually, expatriates would also be included in the government s new strategic plan for domestic security. They would be invited to join by registering their names as members of the Friends of Police Community. Women and youngsters are also welcome to contribute with their vigilance but not as members of the neighborhood watch, Minshawi said.
The project is the outcome of an intensive study conducted by Makkah Police, which would be presented as a working paper this month at a Dubai conference entitled The Concept of Social Police .
The study, that included a survey, showed that 48 percent of 804 people polled did not agree that security was the responsibility of policemen only. In fact, more than 74.2 percent of the respondents wanted other civil institution to participate in the security responsibility.
The respondents also emphasized the importance of giving members of the Friends of Police Community additional authority to solve some social problems and they expressed their readiness to join the neighborhood watch.
Saudi security experts believe that vigilante groups would contribute to reducing the crime rate, especially in poor and overcrowded neighborhoods where terrorists find haven.
This is a good administrative idea to curb the crime rate and to organize the social structure in a neighborhood , said Dr. Saleh Al-Zahrani, a member of the Shoura Council s Security Committee.
This would also add to the other security measures taken by the government to ensure the highest level of security within society, he said.
Zahrani said the authority given to vigilante groups should be determined according to the needs of society. However, he added, specific regulations must be laid down to govern the implementation of the whole idea.
Major General Ateeq Al-Harbi, director general of Makkah Police, said the ministry of Interior has agreed on the introduction of vigilante committees in Makkah city on an experimental basis. He was quoted by the Arabic daily Okaz as saying that the concept would bring about comprehensive security in society.
He said it also aims at creating more openness and cooperation between the traditional policeman and the different segments of society, in a manner that enhances the notion of security as a willing responsibility of each individual.
He said that several meetings were held among those who were in charge of implementing the concept of vigilante committees. Neighborhood watch would be implemented in Bath a Quraish, Shubaikah, Musfalah, Kudai. Nakkasah, Al- Mansour, Al-Tandabawi, Okaishah and King Fahd districts of Makkah city, he added.
The term vigilante is, however, a misnomer as it means anyone who takes the law into his own hands and operates in secret. The word stems from Vigiles Urbani, the name given to the nightwatchmen of Ancient Rome who were tasked with fighting fires and keeping a lookout for runaway slaves and burglars.
It is also said that the origins of the term comes from the Committees of Vigilance which dotted the western United States in the days following the California Gold Rush. At the time, there were few law enforcement officials in California so local citizens banded together to fight crime. Their actions worked and the crime rate in places like San Francisco was far lower than it is today. As one might also expect, some people abused their powers and government authorities later disbanded the committees.
Dr. Sultan Al Anqari, a security expert, said vigilante groups is not a new concept to Saudi society. We used to have what we call Assah, which is more like a group of night watchmen consisting of civilians who take care of neighborhoods and prevent crimes such as robbery taking place at night, he said, But the Assah job was abandoned later.
The vigilante committee is among other procedures implemented by the Kingdom as part of its domestic war against terrorism, he said. It helps in identifying any suspicious activity in any neighborhood by having control over security via its own residents.
He said most of the problems that Saudis security men faced in regard to terrorism recently stemmed mainly from the fact that strangers can easily sneak into any neighborhood without being identified by the residents due to lack of communication among them in the absence of official supervision. But now, he added, the vigilant groups would facilitate the process of identifying newcomers and watching their behavior. At the same time, the groups will help minimize the chances of parasitical elements hiding among good people.
Anqari believes that women should also be included in the vigilante committees. He said the fact that terrorists were using women s clothes to move about highlights the importance of including women in such programs. Besides, this could be the first step toward an official project of creating a full-fledged women s police force according to international standards, he added.
Hassan Al Subhi, a 45-year-old Makkah resident, was pleased and in total agreement with the new project But, he said, the ministry of Interior has also to guarantee that the groups will not abuse their powers by invading people s privacy.
الأعضاء فقط هم الذين يستطيعون مشاهدة الروابط