SHARJAH // Police have raised an alert over the high number of reports of people impersonating police officers.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been 13 cases involving fake police officers, the same number in all of last year.
In response, police have launched a campaign to raise awareness. Is He a Real Cop? targets workers in the emirate's industrial areas, Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister paper of The National reported.
A police officer will always identify him or herself and display their badge to anyone he or she approaches, said Col Omar Al Suwaidi, of Sharjah Police.
People should be wary if someone who says they are an officer asks them to hand over personal belongings, such as wallets, phones or watches.
However, the number of impersonations does not indicate a rise in crimes, with overall figures dropping 8 per cent last year, Col Al Suwaidi said.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
