ROP: A New Era of Policing

Since 2020, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has reached impressive milestones under the guidance of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik al Said, the Supreme Commander of the country’s armed forces. Their achievements reflect not only a commitment to ensuring the safety of people and property across all regions, but also highlight the critical role of specialty police units in addressing security incidents and supporting various divisions within the ROP. Moreover, significant strides have been made in digitizing ROP operations.

Electronic Systems

ROP has emerged as a leader among government bodies in supporting Oman’s digital transformation towards an e-government. They have successfully converted many of their services into electronic formats, with over 650 systems and services now available online.

“This year (2024) we saw the rollout of a digital identity that enables identity verification through facial recognition, displays traffic violations, facilitates vehicle registration via agencies, offers an electronic portal for traffic safety education, allows for the electronic addition and removal of vehicle financing mortgages, links with the Supreme Judicial Council for digital marriage registrations, and includes an electronic fingerprint form via the ROP app. Additionally, there’s integration with the Ministry of Health and an electronic visa system for foreign workers’ medical exams,” explained Hamoud al Zeidi, spokesperson for ROP.

Criminal Investigation

and Research

Al Zeidi further noted that the Criminal Investigation and Research division is equipped with several criminal labouratories across various governorates, along with an ongoing digital lab. These facilities are staffed by trained professionals and use advanced technologies to combat cybercrime and enhance biometric capabilities, in addition to collabourating with international police organizations to improve skills and utilize global best practices.

ROP’s Efforts Against Money Laundering

In recognition of their work in combating money laundering and terrorist financing, the Sultanate of Oman, through its National Financial Information Center, became a member of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units in February 2024. This membership facilitates the exchange of information regarding suspicious transactions with local and regional authorities and supports multiple cooperation initiatives and bilateral agreements.

Combating Drug Abuse

Following directives from His Majesty to implement a national strategy against drugs and psychotropic substances (2023-2028), the ROP is actively engaging in awareness campaigns to address addiction and provide volunteer services aimed at recovery, while highlighting treatment programmes and psychological support.

To further develop officer expertise, the Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences has entered into several collabourative agreements in 2024 focused on academics, research, and training with the Academy of Strategic and Defense Studies, and local universities, to foster knowledge exchange and joint training efforts.

Research and Innovation

The Research and Studies Center at the Sultan Qaboos Academy promotes a culture of scientific inquiry and conducts security-related research. They have published over 70 scientific works and produced the Al-Amanah magazine dedicated to research dissemination. In October 2024, they hosted a scientific conference titled “Creativity and Innovation in the Field of Security Work,” gathering top researchers, academics, and experts from the ROP, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), and several private educational institutions.

Customs Services

The General Administration of Customs is also advancing its electronic services to enhance the support provided to the commercial sector by streamlining customs operations and procedures through their digital customs declaration system. This system encompasses over 495 electronic services linked to 74 government and private entities.

Oman’s Customs aims to deliver a range of services that are safe, efficient, and user-friendly, allowing for pre-arrival clearance and providing accurate data that bolster the national economy and streamline processes.