Dubai:The Dubai Police General Command, in cooperation with its strategic partners, has officially launched the community-based sports initiative ‘Positive Soul’ at the Al Maktoum Stadium -the home ground of Al Nasr SC. 

Launched for the fourth consecutive year, the ‘Positive Soul’ initiative is organized within the framework of the ‘Hamdan bin Mohammed Initiative for Community Sports’, and it coincides with hosting the first match of the UAE Arabian Gulf League.

According to Brigadier Khalid Ali Shhail, Director of the General Department of Community Happiness at Dubai Police, the ‘Positive Soul’ initiative aims at consolidating the values of tolerance, coexistence and dialogue among the members of society through hosting and organizing many community-based events and activities. 

Brigadier Shhail further explained that the initiative also aims at raising the sense of safety and security amongst community members. "We are keen on boosting the concept of community policing. Therefore, we are organizing this initiative that will surely reflect on the reputation and image of the Dubai Police and supports its objectives and strategic vision of spreading positive spirit and happiness across the community," he said. 

Slashing Crime Rates

The Head of Community-based Initiatives at the Department of Community Police, Ms Fatima Buhjair explained that last year the initiative reached 19,721 beneficiaries, and resulted in a %28.13 drop in crime rates and negative phenomena across the targeted zones in Dubai. “During the Year of Tolerance, the initiative carried out 41 sports events and delivered 77 awareness lectures to consolidate the values of tolerance, coexistence, and dialogue among members of society,” Buhjair said.

Involving the Youth  

Fatima Buhjair pointed out that the ‘positive soul’ initiative aims this year to reduce negative phenomena in residential areas, especially among the youth. “The is done by involving this segment in organizing events and programs that will reflect on building their personality and improve their positive behaviour,” “A variety of awareness, cultural, training and voluntary programmes will be available in adherence the announced precautionary measures to prevent the Coronavirus,” Buhjair affirmed. 

Happy Customers 
Buhjair added that an opinion poll conducted on how happy beneficiaries were with the “positive soul” initiative last year showed a 95.9% happiness rate among them and 94.5% among the initiative’s partners.

Joint Efforts 
It is worth noting that the activities of the positive spirit initiative were organized with the participation of Dubai Police, Al Ameen Service, Dubai Sports Council (DSC), Dubai Municipality (DM), Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Community Development Authority (CDA), Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai (RTA), where all agencies provide various services and awareness programs to the participants, and reinforce tolerance values and spread the sports culture among them.