Kuwait Police

Kuwait National Police
وزارة الداخلية الكويتية
Common name Kuwait Police
Badge of the Kuwait National Police.
Agency overview
Formed 1938
Legal personality Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Governing body Ministry of Interior (Kuwait)
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters Kuwait City
Facilities
Stations 62
Website
www.moi.gov.kw

The Kuwait National Police (Arabic: شرطة الكويت) is an agency of the Ministry of Interior of Kuwait, which maintains the national security envelope, defense of land border, coastal and the rule of law in the State of Kuwait. The Kuwait Police Agency was established in 1938 by Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as the Directorate of Public Security Force.

History

Kuwait Public Security Force

In 1942, Field Marshal Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah II Al-Sabah, then deputy, became the Director General of the Kuwait Public Security Force, which included already the Kuwaiti Army. In 1953, the Kuwaiti Army split from the Kuwait Public Security Force, allowing the reorganization and forming the Kuwaiti Police and the early official establishment of the Kuwait Ministry of Interior with the enacting of the first cabinet of ministers in the Government of Kuwait on January 17, 1962.[1]

Ministry of Interior

Following the independence of Kuwait in 1961, the Kuwaiti Police department became attached to the newly formed Ministry of Interior in 1962.

From inception, the director of the Kuwaiti Public Security Force (today's Ministry of Interior) was always part of the military due to the incorporation of the Kuwaiti Army part of the Kuwait Public Security Force under the guidance of Field Marshal Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah (1942–1961).

Following 1961 and depending on the geopolitical environment; Kuwaiti Ministers of Interior; unless very experienced in handling global operations of departmental affairs; have been seconded from the Military of Kuwait as well due to the close historical operation cooperation with other constituents of the Kuwaiti Defense Forces. For instance, Kuwait's fourth Chief of the General Staff of the Kuwait Armed Forces; Lt.Gen.(ret.) Sheikh Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah held the post of Minister of Interior from October 28, 2007 to February 6, 2011.

The Kuwait Police went on alert as a result of the 2015 military intervention in Yemen by a coalition of forces of Arab countries including Kuwait. The National Guard, Police, the Kuwait Armed Forces and Fire Service Directorate activated defense plans to strengthen internal security measures.[2] Defense measures also included intensifying security around oil installations in Kuwait and abroad.[2]

Saad Al-Abdullah Academy for Security Sciences

The main college in charge of training Kuwaiti police recruits is the Academy of Saad Al-Abdullah for Security Sciences,[3][4] established in 1969 and named after the fourteenth ruler and fourth Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah.

In 2001, the Kuwaiti Council of Ministers approved the drafting of female police officers; consequently, the first female trainees were admitted to the Saad Al-Abdullah Academy in 2007, with the first group graduating in 2009.[5]

Police Stations and Service Centers

List of Police Stations in Governorates

Governorates of Kuwait

Kuwait is divided into six governates. Each governorate is subdivided into several areas. The Ministry of Interior maintains 62 police stations:[6]

Governorate Name Number of StationsNote
Jahra Governorate 16
Capital Governorate 10
Farwaniya Governorate 10
Hawalli Governorate 9
Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate 4
Ahmadi Governorate13

List of Police Service Centers

The Ministry of Interior maintains 48 police service centers:[6]

Governorate Name Number of Service CentersNote
Jahra Governorate 4
Capital Governorate 7
Farwaniya Governorate 7
Hawalli Governorate 6
Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate 4
Ahmadi Governorate 7
Unattached 13

Sectors of the Ministry of Interior

Office of the Minister of Interior

The office of the minister of interior has at his disposition the command of the various sectors, administrations and departments through the assistance of the office of the undersecretary of the ministry of interior. As of 2013, the minister of interior or secretary is Mohammad Al Khalid Al Sabah.[7] Sectors and administrations of the office of the minister include:[8]

Office of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior

The office of the undersecretary ministry of interior is the deputy in charge of handling and tasking operations at all levels in the various sectors and associated general adminsitrations and departments while reporting to the office of the minister of interior. The office is currently headed by a Lieutenant General of the ministry of interior.[10] Sectors and administrations of the office of the undesecretary of the minister of interior include:

Offices of the Assistant Undersecretaries of the Ministry of Interior

The offices of the assistant undersecretary of the ministry of interior range between civilian directors and military commanders in rank of Brigadier General and Major General. Some sectors include also general administrations and departments headed by civilian directors and military commanders in the rank of Colonel and brigadier general and that usually depending on the nature of missions within the sector. Sectors, general administrations and departments of the military and civilian offices of the assistant undersecretaries include:[8]

Assistant Undersecretary of Border Security, Major General Al-Sabah inspecting a Kuwait Army AH-64D Apache on the flight deck of USS Dubuque (LPD-8) on August 2, 2010

Military ranks of Kuwait Police

On dark blue backgrounds; the following ranks of the police feature:[22]

Officer Police Corps

One White Star: Lieutenant (Arabic: ملازم‎)[22]
Two White Stars: First Lieutenant (Arabic: ملازم أول‎)[22]
Three White Stars: Captain (Arabic: نقيب‎)[22]
White Crown: Major (Arabic: رائد‎)[22]
White Crown & White Star: Lieutenant Colonel (Arabic: مقدم‎)[22]
White Crown & Two White Stars: Colonel (Arabic: عقيد‎)[22]
White Crown & Three White Stars: Brigadier General (Arabic: عميد‎)[22]
White Crown & Two Crossed Arabian Swords: Major General (Arabic: لواء‎)[22]
White Crown, White Star & Two Crossed Arabian Swords: Lieutenant General (Arabic: فريق‎)[22]
White Crown, Two White Stars & Two Crossed Arabian Swords: General (Arabic: فريق أول‎)[22]
His Highness, the Crown Prince of Kuwait: Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Military of Kuwait (Arabic: نائب القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة الكويتية‎) ( by military protocol )
His Highness, the Emir of Kuwait: Commander-in-chief of the Military of Kuwait (Arabic: القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة الكويتية‎) ( by military protocol )

Enlisted Police Corps

No Chevron: Regular Police [22]
One White Chevron: Private First Class (Arabic: وكيل عريف ‎)[22]
Two White Chevrons: Corporal (Arabic: عريف‎)[22]
Three White Chevrons:Sergeant (Arabic: رقيب‎)[22]
Three White Chevrons with circle closing stripe : Sergeant First Class (Arabic: رقيب أول‎)[22]
One White Center Circled Star: Warrant Officer (Arabic: وكيل ضابط ‎)[22]
Two White Center Circled Stars: Chief Warrant Officer (Arabic: وكيل أول ضابط‎)[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Nine Ministers held the Ministry of Interior since Kuwait's independence. KUNA. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kuwait on alert due to Yemen conflict- Armed Forces called to duty- Oil facilities on alert. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Official Website Sector of Saad Al-Abdullah Academy for Security Sciences, Kuwait Ministry of Interior, (in Arabic).
  4. ↑ Kuwait's Emir sponsors, attends graduation ceremony of officers.
  5. ↑ Sharaf, Nihal. "Kuwaiti women make it in police force". www.arabtimesonline.com (Arab Times). Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 List of Police Stations by Governorate Area, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  7. ↑ "Kuwait Names New Oil and Finance Ministers, 7 Ruling Family Members". Naharnet. 4 August 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 8.20 8.21 8.22 8.23 8.24 8.25 8.26 8.27 8.28 8.29 8.30 8.31 8.32 8.33 8.34 8.35 8.36 8.37 8.38 8.39 8.40 8.41 8.42 8.43 8.44 8.45 8.46 8.47 8.48 8.49 8.50 8.51 Sectors, General Administrations and Departments of the Kuwait Ministry of Interior, قطــاعــــات الــوزارة (in Arabic).
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Official Website Sector of General Information of Security Information Management, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic)
  10. ↑ Interior Minister held meeting with Kuwait National Police, Kuwait National Guard, Kuwait Armed Forces to secure internal front with the commencement of military operations in Yemen and preparation of 3rd donor conference for UN Humanitarian operations in war-torn Syria (in Arabic). Retrieved 26/03/2015.
  11. ↑ Official Website Sector of General Administration of Affairs of Force and Power, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  12. ↑ Official Website Sector of the Kuwait General Department of Coast Guard, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  13. ↑ Official Webiste Sector of the General Administration Center for Specialized Training, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  14. ↑ Official Webiste Sector of Community Police, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  15. ↑ Official Website Sector of General Administration for Training, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  16. ↑ Official Website Sector of the National Security College, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  17. ↑ Official Website Sector of General Administration of Criminal Evidence, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  18. ↑ Official Webiste Sector of General Department of Drug Control, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  19. ↑ Official Website Sector of General Administrations of Correctional Institutions, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  20. ↑ Official Website Sector of Information Systems Directorate, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  21. ↑ Official Website Sector of General Department of Traffic, Kuwait Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 22.8 22.9 22.10 22.11 22.12 22.13 22.14 22.15 22.16 22.17 Military Ranks Insignia and Uniforms, Ministry of Interior (in Arabic).