Royal Oman Police cautions expats against ‘fake’ officers

The ROP official also asked not to hand over any form of identification or resident card unless you can make sure the officer in casual clothes is a real police officer.

Muscat: Expatriates have been cautioned by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) against falling prey to persons impersonating as ROP officers.

Citizens and residents have often become victims of serious crimes committed by imposters, so they need to be cautious, an ROP official said, urging the expatriates to be more guarded.

He said expatriates are the usual targets and quite often the imposters demand money as part of their ‘operation’. “If someone comes to you and claims that he is a police officer or a CID (Criminal Investigation Department) official in casual clothes, always ask for his police identification and match the face in the ID with his,” said an ROP official.

The ID will have the official dressed in police uniform.

The ROP official also asked not to hand over any form of identification or resident card unless you can make sure the officer in casual clothes is a real police officer.

Recently, a case was filed against three Omanis, who reportedly impersonated as police officers and forcibly entered a residence in Wadi Kabir and demanded OMR250 from a family. The imposters then asked for the house keys, which they used to lock the family up in their own home.

Speaking about the incident, the ROP official said that people have every right to deny entry to police officers and CID officials into their homes, unless they present a signed, officially documented warrant issued by the public prosecution.

According to the Oman Penal Code, Article 174, “Anyone who impersonates the status of an official and practices a public function shall be sentenced to imprisonment for 10 days to two years and would be fined between five and 100 rials, or awarded one of these two sentences”.

In another case of impersonation, four Omanis were arrested for masquerading as police officers, along with two other expatriates.

The six accused had reportedly asked the victim, the man in the house, for his residency card, before entering his home. While he went to get his card they kidnapped, and later abused and raped his wife. Besides, police officials, other than the national security men, are not exempted from the law.

According to Article 166 of the Oman Penal Code, “Any official who enters an individual’s house without his consent, in cases other than those stipulated by law or without respecting the law provisions, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for two months to two years”.

When the Times of Oman asked ROP why expats were falling into such traps, the official replied, “When an expat faces a police officer, they are usually nervous. They could be afraid that they have done something wrong such as violated the labour law or might have violated with some other provisions of the law.

“Apart from that, they sometimes believe that the impersonators are actual police officers because they don’t know how to identify or differentiate between imposters and the real police (in casual clothing).

Hopefully, now they know how to deal with such situations,” he added. Salim Al Ghammari, a member of the Municipal Council also added that people must know that if a private vehicle stopped near them and a person walked up to them wearing a police uniform or casual clothing, they should ask to see his ID first.

Al Ghammari said, “Law enforcement officials are not allowed to go near homes, unless they have a signed warrant”.

Safety experts say it is always important to check through a peep hole before opening the door. They suggest that people can use a door chain while dealing with callers at the door.

They suggest that people can enhance their safety through a hole in the door when one is inside the house.