Page 389 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat

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In 1937 Shaikh Khalifah bin Shaikh Mohammed, a nephew of Shaikh Hamed, the Ruler,
was appointed superintendent of police on his return from India where he attended a course at
the Police Training School at Nasik. Later, in 1954, he was given the title of Director of Police
and Public Security.
1940. When the war started recruiting ceased for a time. A rumour was spread that the
Bahrain police were to be sent to the battle front in Europe and this rumour took some time to
die. However, by the beginning of 1940 the strength of the police was 350 N.C.O’s and men
and 230 Naturs who were given training in drill and in the use of arms. New developments
included a machine-gun section and a motor bicycle section which patrolled the oil fields
where special guards were stationed. Police duty at the refinery and in the oil field was not
popular, the work was dull and the men found it difficult to work in contact with British and
Americans whose language they could not understand.
In 1941 150 men were enlisted as special police for duties at the refinery and in the oil field.
They were commanded by British Army officers. With these additional men tho total strength
of the State’s armed forces was about 700 men.
The cost of the police force was 3J lakhs.
For several years traffic control had become one of the important duties of the police.
In 1937 when there were only about 400 motor vehicles on the roads six people lost their lives
in motor accidents. Two years later there was the same number of fatalities though the
number of vehicles had risen to 500. Fortunately the proportion of accidents to vehicles in
these earlier years had not been maintained and when the number of vehicles was over 3,000
the number of fatal accidents was eight or nine.
One of the chief duties of the police during the war was the prevention of smuggling and
black market transactions ; both activities were difficult to prevent as often highly placed
persons were directing the operations. In Bahrain there were very effective price control and
rationing and the prices of all essential commodities were much lower than in neighbouring
Gulf states or in Saudi Arabia. Big money could be made by exporting cheap goods from
Bahrain, though the export of rationed goods was forbidden, and by selling in Saudi Arabia,
Persia or elsewhere. There are houses in some of the towns and villages in Bahrain which are
still referred to by the inhabitants as black market houses because their owners built them after
the war on the proceeds of smuggling and illicit trading.
The war had a bad and lasting effect on public morality which could not be excused by the
explanation of stress and strain. The war brought no danger and caused no real hardship to
the people of Bahrain. There was one air raid, by Italian aircraft, which dropped bombs in the
desert near the refinery, but no harm was done and few people knew that there had been a raid
until next day.
There was a serious increase in thefts. Then, as now, a large proportion of the thieves
were foreigners. Stealing from British and Indian Army units, who were stationed in Bahrain,
from the oil company and from the Government, was regarded as something less than theft by
the Arabs, though the Courts did not share this view. There was an epidemic of bicycle
stealing and several cars and lorries were stolen. They were found in the desert stripped of
tyres and all other movable parts. The prevention of thieving, gambling, drinking, smuggling
and black market activities kept the police fully employed. Frequently Europeans were involved
in liquor cases or in brawls in the bazaar area at night. Some of them were seamen from the
ships which visited Bahrain. As it was difficult for the local police to deal with cases of this
sort the Commandant of Police (the Adviser) usually had to appear on the scene, which was
unsuitable and sometimes dangerous. It was decided that some British police officers and
N.C.O’s should be enlisted for service with the police.
1945. The British police did not arrive until September, 1945. They consisted of an
Inspector a sergeant and six constables. Some of them remained only a short time in Bahrain,
but one of them, Superintendent J. Hyde, is still in the service of the State. The British police
took over traffic duties and dealt with all cases in which Europeans were involved. The year
after they arrived six young Arabs of good families joined the police as cadets in training to
become police officers. Two of them are still serving. By 1945 there were 773 motor vehicles
on the roads, 143 accidents were reported and five people were killed.
There were few serious crimes. On an average there is a case of murder or attempted
murder every two years in Bahrain and crimes of violence are rare. Liquor cases and traffic in
narcotics, opium and hashish, increased with the advent of more foreign ships but very few
Arabs indulged in drugs. The Persians and Baluchis in Bahrain have always used opium but
in moderation without noticeable ill effect.
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