Abu Dhabi police chief recounts how force stepped up to tackle pandemic

Col Mohammed Al Khoury, who beat Covid-19, says his officers oversaw curfews and door-to-door testing around the clock

Colonel Mohammed Al Khoury, Deputy of the Capital Police Department, reveals how Abu Dhabi's Covid-19 team responded to the global health crisis. Courtesy: Frontline Heroes' Office

A senior Abu Dhabi police official has recounted how the force tackled the Covid-19 pandemic in a mission that would personally define "six months of his life”.

Col Mohammed Al Khoury, deputy of the Capital Police Department, said handling public safety has been an operation “outside the realms of ordinary police work”.

The first two months, I didn't see my family – I would work and get home late and see my wife for five minutes then I had to go to sleep

In February, the father of five was called in to the crisis management centre for a mission to bring all Emiratis abroad back to the UAE and quarantine them.

The precautions were being taken shortly after two Italian cyclists competing in the UAE Tour tested positive for the new virus that was fast spreading across the world.

“When I arrived at the police headquarters it was 8am,” said Col Al Khoury.

“Gen Maktoum Al Sharifi, director-general of Abu Dhabi Police, had called five people in and I was one of them. We were instructed to create a task force to work on the mission and everything was immediate. I left that night at midnight and from February until August, I worked from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week.

“We had to bring locals safely back to the country from abroad and quarantine them. People were being quarantined in five-star hotels – everybody had their role to play in fighting the virus.”

Abu Dhabi officers check a resident's identification in May, 2020. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi police officers patrol the city on bicycles. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi Police bicycle patrol on night operations around the Mussaffah area to warn or catch curfew violators in the residential areas. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi Police bicycle patrol on night operations around the Mussaffah area. Victor Besa / The National

A bike patrol officer unloads the police bikes from a custom made bus with special doors and a hydraulic mini lift for easy access. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi Police bicycle patrol on night operations around the Mussaffah area. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi Police bicycle patrol on night operations around the Mussaffah area. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi Police bicycle patrol on night operations around the Mussaffah area. Victor Besa / The National

The scale of the outbreak became clear when cycling staff on the UAE Tour - which saw teams from across the globe compete in a week-long event – tested positive for the virus and were quarantined for two weeks.

The hotels they were staying in on Yas Island went into lockdown to prevent further infections – but more cases emerged.

Col Al Khoury said the team worked with the wider police force, traffic department, Abu Dhabi's health authorities and municipality for a fast-paced response.

They also worked with hotels and other facilities to turn rooms into quarantine quarters. Col Al Khoury received a first-hand experience of living in one for 14 days after testing positive for the virus in May.

“In the middle of all this, I tested positive,” he said.

“It was a good learning experience, though. Being in the centre allowed me to see first-hand how our people were working, how we were managing and how we talked to patients. I was delighted to receive calls from senior government officials and my family members.”

But, the biggest challenge for the him was not being able to see his young children and family for long periods of time at the start of the pandemic.

“The first two months, I didn’t see my family – I would work and get home late and see my wife for five minutes then I had to go to sleep,” he said.

As of December 14, there have been 186,041 total cases in the UAE, with 21,074 people currently battling the virus. The death toll stood at 618 while 164,349 people have recovered. More than 18 million Covid-19 tests have been carried out nationwide.

He said difficult decisions had to be taken to ensure the spread of the virus was contained, including closing down malls and asking people to work from home.

“Most of the people in Abu Dhabi are educated and understand their responsibility in protecting the safety of their lives, their children and their colleagues,” he said.

“So, most of them were on-board with the measures we were taking."

Abu Dhabi amid Covid-19 – in pictures 

Residents wear face masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Qasr Al Watan presidential palace reopened to public tours with strict Covid-19 measures in place. Victor Besa / The National

A Covid-19 safety sign outside a shop at Al Qahirah Street, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

A swing is cordoned off along the Corniche in Abu Dhabi, as part of Covid-19 precautionary measures. Victor Besa / The National

A sign advising the public of measures against Covid-19, on the Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Visitors arriving at Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island are reminded of precautions against Covid-19. Victor Besa / The National

Louvre Abu Dhabi visitors adhere to measures to stop the spread of Covid-19. Victor Besa / The National

A technician carries out tests for Covid-19 at MenaLabs Medical Laboratory in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National