The World Police Summit 2025 opened this week at the Dubai World Trade Centre with the participation of delegations from more than 100 countries. The event brought together top law enforcement leaders from around the globe, including representatives from INTERPOL, the United Nations, and key international police agencies.
Running until May 15, the summit is held under the theme Beyond the Badge: Envision the Next Era of Policing, focusing on artificial intelligence in policing, the fight against transnational crime, and strengthening collaboration between public and private security sectors.
The agenda for the first day centred on four major themes: organised crime, anti-money laundering, post-digital transformation, and borderless policing. These themes were explored through high-level strategic conferences, panel discussions, and workshops featuring over 300 international speakers and experts.
The summit opened with a high-level plenary session featuring leaders from INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the New York Police Department, and other prominent institutions.
Discussions focused on future policing strategies in light of complex and evolving global threats, financial crime, digital investigation tools, balancing national security with international cooperation, and human trafficking prevention through empowerment and awareness.
Dr Hatem Ali, Regional Representative of the UNODC for the GCC, stressed the urgent need to adapt legal and institutional frameworks to keep pace with rapid technological change.
“International criminal networks are exploiting technology and AI more efficiently than most governments can counter them,” he said. “We must develop adaptable legal systems and institutional capacities capable of influencing global legal frameworks and fostering national cooperation.”
Lieutenant Colonel Dr Rashid Hamdan Al Ghafri, Secretary-General of the World Police Summit and Deputy Director of Dubai Police’s General Department of Forensics and Criminology, highlighted the summit’s evolving themes.
“Each year, the summit reflects our priorities,” he said. “In our inaugural year, we laid the foundation for global cooperation. In 2023, we inspired the next generation of policing. In 2024, we unified efforts under the banner Shaping a Safer Tomorrow. This year, we call on agencies to think beyond borders and badges to reimagine what policing should look like in a connected, rapidly changing world.”
He added that the summit’s discussions extend into critical areas including cybercrime, drug enforcement, aviation security, and intelligence-led responses to transnational threats. It also places strong emphasis on youth empowerment, crime prevention, and innovative models of policing to equip future officers with the mindset and tools necessary to confront tomorrow’s challenges.
A notable panel session titled Rehabilitation for the New Era of Threats featured international police leaders, including Chief Commissioner Eric Snoeck of Belgium, Roberto Rios from the NYPD, Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun of Nigeria, and Lt. General Tariq Al Hassan, Head of Public Security in Bahrain.
They collectively called for enhanced cross-border cooperation, stronger legal structures, trust-building between agencies, and innovation in leadership development, especially through AI and continuous training.
The World Police Summit is organised by Dubai Police in partnership with DXB Live, and supported by key international organisations including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, UNODC, and Europol.
The summit also features an international exhibition with over 170 exhibitors, including Samsung, Du, Esri, and Inkas Armoured Vehicles, showcasing advanced technologies designed to improve community safety.
MySecurity Media are media partners to World Police Summit.
