Yemeni women police force
By Capt. Saleh Al Duais
MA in police science
Director of public relations and moral
guidance at the police academy
Among
the most important developments in the Yemeni police force in the
last two decades of the 20th century has been the employment of
female staff in many specialist areas. This change came about due
to the ability of women to make a contribution in areas linked to
female issues, and the domestic side of the security services.
The overall number
of policewomen in the police service had reached 1,476 by the end
of 1999. They are now represented throughout the ranks, except that
of brigadier, as a result of the recent graduation of female police
academy graduates. The former police academy in Aden graduated the
first policewomen in the early 1980s, and continued training programs
for women until 1992. By the time it closed, Aden police academy
had graduated twelve groups of female officers.
Policewomen work in various branches of the
Interior Ministry, starting their initial duties at 
the
ministry's headquarters before going on to specialise in various
areas of police work. These include: prisons, juvenile centers,
homicide divisions, interpol, civil registration, immigration and
passport control, general and central security, civil defense, guarding
installations, and communications and tourism police.
The percentage of policewomen in each section
differs from one to another, according to the jurisdictions and
mission statements of each. For example, there are 324 policewomen
in the capital assigned to the following ranks:
- 59 Policewomen in Ministry of Interior
- 46 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in Supply Office
- 69 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in Manuciblity
Police
- 27 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in Civil Affairs
and Registerations
- 26 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in Prisons
Police
- 25 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in Passports
and Nationality Office
- 11 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in Criminals
Investigation Office
- 7 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
in Emergency
- 6 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
in High Institue of Police Officers
- 5 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
in Police Communications
- 4 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
in Buildings Security
- 3 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
in Traffic Office
- 3 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
in Police Operations
- 3 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
in Civil Defence
- 3 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
in Police Training School
- 2 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
in Central Police Force
Yemeni policewomen are led by 109 female officers
assigned to the following ranks:
2
Brigadiers
2 Majors
26 Sub-majors
39 Chiefs
29 Lieutenants
11 Sub- lieutenants
Policewomen in Yemen either perform duties
carried out by their male colleagues or perform special duties in
accordance with Yemeni customs and traditions. Thus, the inspection
of women in airports, harbors and land routes are made by policewomen.
The interrogation of women, arresting prostitutes, special investigations
into juvenile or female cases, and the civil registration of women
are all done by policewomen.
Policewomen in Yemen usually work undercover,
disguised as street vendors or sellers of clothes, spices and so
on. Many also walk in their every day clothes to monitor public
manners.
Policewomen are respected and taken care of
by police headquarters, and a special law on females in the police
service will be tabled in parliament soon.
Deputy Interior Minister Brig. Mutahar Al
Masri said: "Security necessitates the presence of female police,
for example to body search women. Past experience has proved the
importance of policewomen in fighting crime, especially against
female criminals acquiring information that perhaps policemen cannot
obtain. Futhermore, I believe that Yemen should take on board developments
of other countries in the use of female police officers in all areas
of security."
Policewomen are a human necessity, and have
a social duty to preserve the honor of people, protect public behaviour
and protect the special interests of over ten million women.
However, the number of policewomen, compared
to their fields of duty,
is still too small. Therefore, we appeal to
parents to allow their daughters the opportunity to join the special
training courses that are to be held in police training centres
and institutes. We also appeal to the Interior Ministry to provide
a conducive working atmosphere for female staff and spread public
awareness