Why is Abu Dhabi perceived to be one of the safest Cities in the world?

• In Event: Perceptions of Crime in Evolving Communities

Abstract

This research sought to identify Abu Dhabi Police's role in establishing the Emirate’s capital as one of the world's safest cities. This study investigated the factors influencing perceptions of safety in public areas in Abu Dhabi using a Community Safety Survey conducted in partnership with the Emirate’s national statistics department. Factor analysis was used to identify the dependent variable for satisfaction, with "Feelings of Safety in public areas". Correlative analysis identified confidence in Abu Dhabi Police's plans and procedures, response to traffic related incidents, and emergency responses as key influencers, with moderate correlation values above 0.30. The inferential analysis revealed that trust and satisfaction with the Abu Dhabi Police services, alongside confidence in their ability to set plans and procedures played an important role in enhancing public safety perceptions. The ordinal regression model produced a predictive accuracy of 86.65%. In an era of declining public confidence in policing and increasing fear of crime, Abu Dhabi police counter this trend generating high degree of feelings of safety across its diverse communities. These findings suggest strategic areas for police to focus on, highlighting the importance of public confidence in and satisfaction with police services in improving public perceptions of safety.

Authors

• Jacqueline Ann Grace Sebire, Rabdan Academy, United Arab Emirates

• Gareth Stubbs, Rabdan Academy, United Arab Emirates

• Mohamed Al Hanaie, Abu Dhabi Police, United Arab Emirates