Dubai Police reunites inmate and son after surprise visit

DUBAI: The General Department of Punitive and Correctional Institutions at Dubai Police arranged a heart-warming reunion between an inmate and his son after noticing that the inmate always drew pictures of his son during the institution’s activities, reflecting his deep longing for him.

This touching moment was made possible through the ‘Inmate Happiness’ humanitarian initiative, which aimed to alleviate the suffering of inmates during their sentences.

The humanitarian gesture was carried out under the guidance of His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, and the supervision of Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs.

Brigadier Marwan Jalfar, the Director of the General Department of Punitive and Correctional Institutions, said that upon learning that the inmate had a sole son residing in another country, the department coordinated to arrange a meeting between the father and his son.

According to Brig. Jalfar, when the time of the visit, the department informed the inmate that he had a visitor. He was taken aback because he had no one who would come to visit him.

When he met his visitor, he was stunned to see his son. Overwhelmed by the surprise, he was unable to contain his emotions and burst into tears as he embraced his son.

“The heart-warming reunion was an incredibly moving moment that touched everyone involved, leaving a lasting impression,” Brig. Jalfar said.

Jalfar explained that when the inmate arrived at the Punitive and Correctional Institutions, he did not have a specific profession. However, thanks to the inmate education and training department that has educational and vocational programmes, he learned how to draw along other handicrafts.

“He often expressed his longing for his son through drawing. He was well-liked by his fellow inmates for his kind and cooperative personality. Additionally, he is an active participant in various activities within the Punitive and Correctional Institutions,” Jalfar continued.

He emphasised the importance of activating social and humanitarian aspects and overcoming communication barriers between inmates and their families, in line with Dubai Police’s strategic goal of promoting community happiness. He also highlighted the significance of Dubai Police’s humanitarian programmes and initiatives, particularly in the General Department of Punitive and Correctional Institutions, due to their positive impact on strengthening the relationship and mutual trust between the police and the community.

“These programmes promote values of tolerance and coexistence, and they directly contribute to alleviating the suffering of both inmates and their families,” Jalfar added.

The inmate and his son expressed their gratitude to the Dubai Police General Command for the wonderful humanitarian initiative and their deep concern for spreading happiness among inmates and their families. They mentioned that they had always dreamt of this visit, as previous visits had been either remotely or through phone calls only.

The father and son were truly grateful for the opportunity to have a face-to-face meeting, which left a lasting impact on them.