As we approach the 50th anniversary of the founding of United Arab Emirates, I have been reflecting on the many ways that our people have worked together at all levels of society to encourage seven Emirates to come together as a singular nation. A recent tour of the National Law Enforcement Museum and National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial while visiting the United States was a powerful reminder of the common mission – as well as the common sacrifices – of men and women in uniform in both the US and the UAE.

While reviewing the collection of the National Law Enforcement Museum, I gained valuable insights into the history and technological advancements of US law enforcement over the 20th and 21st centuries. I was able to touch J. Edgar Hoover’s desk, step into an Indiana State Police cruiser, and stand in the presence of the badge of Elliot Ness, who was widely known as an ‘incorruptible’ and ‘untouchable’ police officer.

The experience was an occasion to think back on my law enforcement career and earlier visits to the US, including my first experience with a modern operations center in the 1980s as a young officer. It is extraordinary how far we have come in the UAE in just a few short decades, where today we are global leaders in the digitization of police services and are on the cutting edge of efforts to incorporate artificial intelligence and biometrics into our domestic law enforcement systems.  

In the US, 18,000 different agencies work together across cities, small towns, and critical infrastructure like airports and transit to keep their communities safe. The challenge of communication and coordination across many different organizations serving such diverse communities is one that I am familiar with, and an area where I hope to see American and Emirati law enforcement learn from one another, whether through our nations’ Strategic Dialogue, our partnerships with the NYPD, or at the World Police Summit, which Dubai has the honor of hosting early next year.

I was also personally moved by the way that the American people have chosen to publicly honor the memory of those officers who have fallen in the line of duty. Reviewing the 22,000 names inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was an opportunity for somber meditation on the cost of the freedoms and safety that we all enjoy. In the weeks ahead, I will be sharing this experience with friends and law enforcement colleagues, and discussing how in the UAE we can similarly create public spaces that are fitting testaments to the courage and selflessness embodied by police officers – not just in the UAE, but in every country and community.