Dubai Police crowned champions of UAE Swat Challenge 2024

Teams from the emirate come first and second, with a squad from Kazakhstan third

The Dubai Police team that won this year's UAE Swat Challenge. Photo: Wam

Dubai Police have been crowned the winners of this year's UAE Swat Challenge.

Dubai Police B team won the event with 325 points and Dubai Police A team came second with 303 points, state news agency Wam reported. The Sardar team from Kazakhstan were third, scoring 302 points.

The UAE Swat Challenge is organised by the Dubai Police and held under the patronage of Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

The fifth annual event concluded on Wednesday at the Dubai Police training centre in Al Ruwayyah, with 11 squads from the UAE taking place.

Eighty seven teams from 48 countries participated, up from 55 last year, with prizes totalling Dh1 million ($272,000).

The challenge categories were tactical, assault, officer rescue, tower event and obstacle course.

In the obstacle challenge, the RNP Swat team from Rwanda won with 52 points, while teams from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan came in second and third with scores of 51 and 50, respectively.

Maj Gen Abdullah Ali Al Ghaithi, assistant commander-in-chief for operations affairs at Dubai Police, awarded the top 10 finishers their trophies during a ceremony held on Wednesday.

The Abu Dhabi Police women's team made their debut in this year's competition.

"The decision to form the all-women team was made last year with the goal to excel on both local and global stages," Lobna Elhalawani, fitness trainer for the force's elite F7 Directorate, told The National earlier this week.

Other all-women teams included squads from Chile, Belarus and Thailand.

The UAE Swat Challenge aims to promote co-operation and understanding between international Swat teams and highlight best practices.

It first started in 2019 and involves teams from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and the Ministry of Interior, as well as squads from overseas.

The tests are designed to assess tactical skills, mental focus and physical endurance.

UAE Swat Challenge 2024 – in pictures