Bahrain
| Author | George Kurian |
| Pages | 191-192 |
Page 191
Official country name: Kingdom of Bahrain
Capital: Manama
Geographic description: Middle Eastern archipelago in the Persian Gulf on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula
Population: 688,345 (est. 2005)
The Bahrain Police and Public Security Department was founded in 1926 and initially was staffed by British officers. In 1962, when Bahrain became a fully independent state, the force was indigenized.
The Police and Public Security Department is commanded by a director general and assisted by a deputy director general and a director of security and intelligence services. The Administrative Branch is the first of many headquarter divisions, which includes immigration, prosecutions, traffic, criminal investigations, women police, education and sport, mounted police, public security, Emergency Squad, and the Flying Wing. The Public Security Division also controls the Coast Guard and the Bahrain Fire Service. Territorially the sheikhdom is divided into five divisions: Manama; Bahrain Airport, Mina Sulman, Rural North and Rural South. Bahrain's Women Police Division was a major innovation in the Middle East when it was formed in the 1970s. The Criminal Investigation Division operates a criminal records archive and photography and fingerprints laboratories. The Emergency Squad is the principal reserve for dealing with riots and major disasters. They have a high mobile capability.
In the summer khaki drill uniforms (tunics or shirts) are worn and in winter a dark blue tunic and trousers is the standard. A dark blue cap is worn throughout the year.
There is a Royal PoliceCollege in Bahrain and police training centers in Muharraq and Safra. The Initial Training Depot in Manama also has a reserve.
Total Police Personnel: 3,733
Population per Police Officer: 180
The government's human rights record is mixed. While it has made progress in some areas, it remains poor in others. All political prisoners were freed in 2001. There is no effort
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to discipline or punish security personnel who commit serious human rights violations. There are...
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