Royal Oman Police

In co-operation with the Royal Navy of Oman, the Coast Guard division looks after Oman's territorial waters and conducts rescues of people in distress at sea.

Headquartered in Muscat, the Omani Coast Guard is led by Brigadier General Bader Khalfan Al Zadgali.

Regarding smuggling and piracy issues in the region the Royal Oman Police Coast Guard established relations and partnerships with actors in the region. Combined Task Forces 150 and 151 regularly reach Muscat for talks and cooperation through senior visits such as those by Commodore Daryl Bate in Muscat ROP HQ in 2014 and by Rear Admiral Ayhan Bay in 2015. The EU's Operation Atalanta is also a major partner as illustrated by Bader Khalfan Al Zadgali's 2017 meeting with Rear Admiral Gregori then commander of the EU mission. While GCC and western forces are key players in the area, and in accordance with wider Oman policy the Royal Oman Police maintain talks on smuggling with Iran. A dedicated summit with Brigadier Galal Stara, Commander of the Coast Guard Forces in the Islamic Republic of Iran, was held in March 2017.

A Sea Rescue Group has been established to help to prevent drowning accidents, respond to SOS calls, improve the monitoring of Oman's coastline and prevent illegal immigration and smuggling.[6]

A command headquarters called The Oil and Gas Installations Command has been set up under the ROP to protect Oman's valuable oil and gas installations.

A patrol craft of the ROP

The Police Coastguard Command has been equipped with new fast patrol boats, while the older boats currently in use have been modernized and fitted with new engines. An engineering and maintenance workshop makes sure the patrol craft are always serviceable.

The Royal Omani Police has engaged in major procurement programs since the mid 2010 mostly from Spanish, British and French suppliers.

An ROP helicopter can be seen here

The Police Aviation Directorate comprises AgustaWestland AW139[7] helicopters (currently 4 in service and more are being procured). It comprises a helicopter fire-fighting service for use in areas that are relatively inaccessible to ordinary fire engines as Oman has a vastly mountainous terrain. The Sultanate was one of the first countries in the region to set up this service and several pilots have now been trained to man it. The Police Aviation Directorate is to use its helicopter fleet for use in the Flying Ambulance service, for fire-fighting and rescue missions, or to provide monitoring and support services for the ROP's other departments using thermal imaging systems.[6]

The Directorate-General of Civil Status registers the births, marriages, divorces and deaths of Omani nationals, as well as the births and deaths of expatriate residents in the Sultanate, in addition to their marriages and divorces if one of the parties to the marriage or divorce is an Omani. Omani nationals are also issued with smart multipurpose ID cards, which are both flexible and secure and – among other things – show the holder's driving licence details. Such smart cards have become a norm in almost all Arab nations.

Residence cards are also issued to resident expatriates working in the Sultanate, and their dependants. The labour card and the residence card have now been combined into one card.

Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat International Airport and all overland crossing points now use an improved Customs computer system. This has been put in place to improve customs clearance procedures and customs clearance offices. These moves are designed to support the national economy and come in response to the Gulf Co-operation Council Customs Union and the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone.

Using its new container and motor vehicle inspection equipment, the Directorate General of Customs is now better equipped to detect and identify prohibited substances and smuggled goods. A declaration on a container security and goods inspection initiative has also been signed between the Directorate-General of Customs and its American counterpart, allowing for the inspection of goods transported by sea between Omani and American ports.[6] This shall prove to be of significant help especially now that Oman and USA have a free trade agreement in place.[10]

On 4 September 1970, the police department took over the responsibility of motor vehicles licensing which used to be under the responsibility of the Muscat and Muttrah Municipality. Ever since, the ROP has worked to put in place an efficient traffic policing system.

Oman has continuously recorded a huge leap in road accidents and accident related deaths. Oman's road traffic death rate is 28 per 100,000 population which is far higher than the global average of 19 killed per 100,000.[11] Due to this the ROP has taken a tough stance against negligent drivers. Vehicles are regularly inspected, training standards for drivers have been raised and traffic rules are rigorously enforced, particularly with regard to speed limits. Intensive awareness campaigns are regularly held for drivers and other sections of society, including school students. To this end, the police work closely with other departments and organisations, particularly the Ministry of Education and the media. By the end of 2005, fixed and mobile radar speed detectors had been installed in all the governorates and regions in a further attempt to help reduce traffic accidents.

The Omani government and the ROP have continuously made road safety their top priority. They have also worked effectively to promote road safety internationally. Oman submitted a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly entitled Road safety must not be left to chance, to help promote international co-operation on the prevention of traffic accidents, which was adopted by the UN in 2004 (Titled – A/58/289).[12]

In March 2006, the ROP won first prize in an international contest, in which 36 countries participated and organised. The competition was organized by the United Nations, at the 1st Global Road Safety Film Festival in Geneva, for a film entitled "Pain and Hope", a documentary highlighting the suffering of families who lose relatives in road accidents. The film is currently stored in the UN library.[6]

The ROP provides a Highway Emergency Ambulance Service for victims of road and other accidents. The Ambulance Unit, which has a fleet of modern ambulances with modern hightech medical equipment, covers the Governorate of Muscat up to Batinah Region, as well as the main road from the wilayat of Barka to Khatmat Malahah on the UAE border. The service is proposed to be expanded to cover the entire country.

The Ambulance Service uses an advanced telecommunications system directed through the ROP's telecommunications centre. The system co-ordinates the movement of ambulances to ensure that they reach the scene of an accident in the shortest possible time.

With regard to the protection of buildings, installations and property, the Directorate-General of Civil Defence has been supplied with civil defence and fire-fighting equipment.[6]