New study reveals strong links between community programmes, higher happiness levels, stronger perceptions of safety and lower crime rates across Dubai
Dubai: Dubai Police community initiatives generated a social return on investment (SROI) of AED647.9 million between 2017 and 2026, benefiting 3.8 million people and contributing to improvements in security, public trust, economic outcomes and quality of life, according to a new study.
The study, conducted by the Future Foresight Centre at Dubai Police, assessed 80 initiatives spanning education, health, public awareness and sports, measuring their impact on public safety, crime prevention, trust in police and community wellbeing.
The findings demonstrate how community initiatives support key national and local strategies, including the Dubai Social Agenda 33, the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and We the UAE 2031, while reinforcing Dubai’s reputation as one of the world’s safest cities and a leading destination to live, work and visit.
Lieutenant General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, said the results reflect the support of the UAE leadership, the Dubai Government and the Ministry of Interior for sustainable community initiatives that serve different segments of society.
He said the findings highlight the effectiveness of Dubai Police’s approach to designing initiatives based on the real needs of the community while strengthening partnerships and enhancing quality of life.
According to the study, the impact generated by the initiatives was distributed across several areas.
Economic and community contributions accounted for AED542.7 million, while AED5.7 million was linked to initiatives that promoted accessibility and community participation. Community wellbeing initiatives contributed AED5 million, reflecting improvements in safety, support and social engagement.
Quality of life initiatives generated AED31.7 million in social value, while AED62.8 million was linked to initiatives that strengthened public trust and reinforced a sense of belonging among community members.
The study adopted internationally recognised methodologies to measure social return on investment and community impact by linking initiatives to security and social indicators, including perceptions of safety, crime prevention and quality of life.
Statistical analysis using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient showed a positive relationship between Dubai Police community programmes and several social indicators.
The initiatives recorded a positive correlation of 0.44 with the Happiness Index and 0.45 with the Happiness, Security and Awareness Index. They also achieved a positive correlation of 0.44 with perceptions of safety among community members.
The findings indicate that increased implementation of community initiatives is associated with stronger trust in police, improved feelings of safety and higher levels of happiness.
The study also identified an inverse relationship between community initiatives and certain crime indicators.
A negative correlation of 0.41 was recorded with concerning crime rates, suggesting that increased implementation of community initiatives coincided with a reduction in this category of crime.
In addition, the study found a strong negative correlation of 0.796 between customer happiness and crime rates, indicating that higher levels of public satisfaction were associated with lower crime levels.
Among the initiatives assessed, the “Positive Spirit” programme recorded the widest reach, benefiting two million people.
The “Esaad” privilege card initiative benefited 1,158,717 people, while the “Ride with Dubai Police” initiative reached 40,000 people and UAE SWAT Challenge-related events benefited 51,000 people.
The study also highlighted the role of volunteerism in amplifying the impact of Dubai Police initiatives.
Between 2017 and 2026, a total of 7,189 volunteers from within and outside Dubai Police participated in the programmes covered by the study.
Together, they contributed 249,916 volunteer hours, generating estimated financial savings of AED21.74 million.
Dubai Police said the findings demonstrate that community policing extends beyond awareness and engagement activities and plays a measurable role in strengthening public trust, supporting preventive security, enhancing quality of life and promoting community stability.
The study concluded that sustained engagement with society contributes to safer communities, stronger social cohesion and improved public confidence in law enforcement institutions.
Source: Emirates 24|7