Dubai Police set up online reunion for mother and jailed son

The woman was unable to visit her son after in-person visits to prisons were halted by the pandemic

Officers from Dubai prison helped a mother reconnect online with her son, who is currently in prison. Courtesy: Dubai Police

A Dubai mother has thanked police for helping her reconnect with her jailed son online, after in-person visits were put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The woman was unable to speak to her son for several months as she struggled to get to grips with video conferencing technology, said officials.

She sought assistance from the force who sent help to her home to organise a virtual reunion.

“We are keen on facilitating difficulties such as these in a bid to further enhance the happiness of all members of the public,” said Brig Ali Al Shamali, director general of correctional institutions at Dubai Police.

He said police were keen to provide support to the public whenever possible.

“These initiatives and programmes have directly contributed to alleviating the suffering of inmates and their families,” he said.

The mother of the inmate praised Dubai Police for their quick response and said she was overwhelmed by their kind gesture.

This is the latest example of police stepping in to boost community relations, said officials.

On Thursday, the force announced it had strengthened a dedicated task force that delivers vital support to victims of crimes and road accidents, and also to people in distress.

The expanded Victim Support Section will be led by security and psychology experts working closely with police stations across the emirate to identify those in need of assistance.

Dubai Police have operated a victim support programme since 2004, but has now bolstered its network of services available to the public.

Capt Abdullah Al Sheikh, head of victim support at Dubai Police, highlighted how the force had intervened to help people in need.

He gave an example of how police had helped a British woman who had been unable to leave the UAE since 2014, due to a court order against her.

“She had guaranteed her husband for a bank loan, but he deceived her, took the money and travelled back home for good,” Capt Al Sheikh said.

The woman turned to the Victim Support Section after she had exhausted all options to pay off the loan.

“We managed to get the bank's approval to waive the case and helped the woman in distress return home to her children,” Capt Al Sheikh said.