I was honored and fortunate to have been invited to deliver my
"COPS (Community Oriented Policing) on the Web"
and
"Introduction to CyberCrime"
presentations at the
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON POLICE SCIENCES
sponsored by the
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates,
Police Department
December 13 - 16, 1998

This OUTSTANDING conference was generously
supported by

His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi,
Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah
and the fine officers and staff of the
SHARJAH POLICE DEPARTMENT
under the leadership of

Commander-in-Chief of the Sharjah Police,
Brigadier Mohammed Khalifa Al Mualla.

The primary purposes of the conference were to
develop and enhance the formal education of
police officers around the world
in "Police Sciences," and to increase the
professionalism and respect of officers
worldwide.

In attendance were approximately 400 individuals
from 122 countries and U.S. states.
48 individuals from over two dozen countries
presented their research at the conference.
8 panels of experts were appointed to openly
discuss and debate each of the major issues
developed at the meetings, with input and criticism
from those in the audience.

I was appointed to serve on the panel charged with
determining the needs of COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING,
and POLICING AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21st CENTURY.
My panel consisted of citizens of Canada, Taiwan, South Africa,
England, Scotland, Jordan, and the United States.

Most of the research and papers presented were
translated, and reproduced in Arabic and English, with a few
in French.  Excellent simultaneous translation services
and equipment were provided, such that the attendees
could listen to all of the presentations in their choice
of French, English, or Arabic.

Several of the speakers at the conference presented research
on the different standards around the globe for police officers.
A common point, based on seperate, independent, research, was that
the majority of departments around the world, including so called
"third world" countries now require a Bachelor's Degree in order
to qualify to become a police officer. Another comparison was both the
quantity, scope, and quality of in-service training in different countries.
In ranked comparisons, the U.S. and its individual states came out
at or near the bottom.
I found many of these presentations to be both shocking and embarassing.
The relevant presentations were from major American institutions, as well
as Interpol, Scotland Yard, and Arab universities and agencies.

Below are some "thumbnails" of some of the
200 photos I took at conference.  To see a larger image,
simply click on the image.  Use your BACK button to
return to this page.

Banners hanging from the walls of the beautiful
SHARJAH CULTURAL CENTER
on the first day of the conference.
The banner on the left is:
"Leaders of Police; Welcome to Internet"
The banner on the right:
"Sharjah Conference is Sincere Effort of
Scientific Advancement of Police Research"
In 1998, the United Nations declared that
Sharjah is the Cultural Capital of the Arab World.
 

At the reception following the opening event, I met
the His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi,
Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
On the right of the photo is
Police Commander-in-Chief of the Sharjah Police,
Brigadier Mohammed Khalifa Al Mualla
 

Me at the podium during my presentation.
This was in the auditorium of our hotel.
On the screen is one of the slides from my Power Point Presentation.
This particular slide was from my CyberCrime presentation, and is
explaining the methods used in online child exploitation.
The panel on the stage, including myself, is the one charged
with discussing "Policing and Technology in the 21st Century".

 

A Sharjah Police Officer and I in front of his
police car.  For patrol, they use mostly
Jeep Cherokees.
The officer was carrying a 9 mm SIG.
Photo was taken in the parking lot of our host hotel, the
Holiday Inn Continental Resort, in Sharjah.
 

Commander-in-Chief of the Sharjah Police,
Brigadier Mohammed Khalifa Al Mualla
and I outside the Cultural Center.
Note the text on the banners behind us.
 

Among the many cultural events available to us
was a Friday service at a local mosque.
We were welcome to observe the service.
We were told that the maximum capacity of the
building and the surrounding area for prayers was
13,000.  Faithful who could not fit in this
beautiful building participated in the religious service
by listening and praying in the parking lot adjacent
to the building.  On the lower level was a daycare
center; the main floor was for men; women were on the
upper level balcony behind a screen.
 

Near our hotel was another beautiful, ornate
mosque.  The thousands of blue and white tiles were
inlaid in elaborate, patterns and script.
The carving in the heavy wooden doors was superb.
The sign over the door of this mosque says that entrance
to this mosque is restricted to Moslems only.
 

The Emirate of Sharjah was beautiful, modern,
and clean.  Without exception, all of the
residents we met were cordial and friendly.
One, a Jordanian working in Sharjah, even invited three
of us Americans to his apartment where he welcomed us with
with tea and gifts.
This scene is me standing on the median of
the main downtown street.  Behind me is Al Hisn,
the Sheikhs' ancestral home, now a museum.
Over a dozen identical, but very modern
office and commercial buildings line both sides of
the wide road.
 

This is one of over 300 gold jewelry stores
in the two souks (bazaars) we visited in
Sharjah and Dubai.  The gold in the shops
was much more "yellow" than we are used to, because
it is almost all 22k gold, with some 18k, and 24k.
I did not see any of the 10k, 12k, and 14k gold common in the U.S.
The gold was priced daily with signs posted showing the
cost per gram.  The gold jewelry sold for slightly more than the
spot price of gold, which was a relative bargain
compared to prices of "lesser" gold jewelry at home.
Other stores in the souks sold Persian and oriental rugs,
silks, clothing and other textiles, electronics, and regional crafts.
Gold jewelry is extremely common for sale there.  A local
guide book stated that fully 1/4 of all fabricated gold jewelry
sold in the world annually, is sold in the Emirates; in other terms,
600 metric tons of gold jewelry is sold annually in the Emirates;
worldwide annual sales total 2400 metric tons.