MUSCAT: The Royal Oman Police (ROP) marks its Annual Day on January 5 every year. This is the day when the country pays tribute to the ROP personnel for carrying out national duties and keeping citizens and residents safe and secure.
On Thursday, the ROP Annual Day will be celebrated with His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, will preside over the function. The ceremony, which will take place at the military parade ground of Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences in the wilayat of Nizwa, includes the passing out of officer cadets.
The ROP has been accorded great attention by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Supreme Commander. Under His Majesty the Sultan’s patronage, the ROP has undergone major transformation and realised tangible success in various security, service, traffic, customs and technical aspects.
ROP has been striving to keep pace with the developments taking place in the Sultanate in all fields to provide a security umbrella, and protect the rights and liberties of citizens and residents.
In the last few years, ROP has made huge strides, applying scientific strategies to keep pace with the changes. This has enabled ROP to handle all forms of crime and protect members of the public.
ROP has been ranked high in the electronic transformation of governments and has achieved success in providing quality and integrated electronic services to citizens, residents and visitors alike, using the latest technologies to provide service through its website and its applications on smartphones and self-service devices.
Training of ROP personnel is offered in a variety of establishments, including the Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences (Nizwa) and Officers Training Institute (Muscat).
In reaffirmation of this approach, the rate of common crimes (theft, electronic fraud, money laundering, arson, human trafficking, drug trafficking) has dropped drastically in the past few years. The ROP’s extensive efforts also reflected positively in cooperation with regional and international organisations.
The deployment of ROP corps is realised through day-to-day mobilisation of various police departments.
The Coast Guards, based in Sidab, tackle piracy, smuggling and infiltration, besides coordinating with departments responsible for marine pollution control.
The Police Aviation monitors the Sultanate’s coast and the country’s difficult terrain, keeping an eagle’s eye on any suspicious actions (human trafficking, infiltration).
This is in addition to lending strong support to search and rescue operations, air-lifting foodstuffs to citizens in mountainous areas and rushing patients from those areas to health centres.
The Police Aviation also helped carry out the Covid-19 Supreme Committee’s decisions of night-time (curfew) ban on movement by monitoring different locations.
The ROP is a pioneer in setting up e-Oman Society through its services to citizens and residents (e-visas, civil status services, vehicle registration services, Customs, to name a few).
The ROP’s role undertaken by the Directorate General of Customs facilitated trade, logistics and e-inspection and auditing services. Other aspects of progress in police services include the use of simulation systems of driving instruction, an expanded participation of women in police services, the use of mobile apps and services and the use of the media to spread public awareness about novel fraud and swindling styles.