DUBAI — Residents may see an unusual police presence in two parts of the country this morning. Dubai Police and Abu Dhabi Police have announced separate strategic exercises, both scheduled for 9am on Thursday, and have asked the public to keep clear.
Where and when
Dubai Police said its exercise will take place at the Cricket Stadium in Dubai Sports City, carried out with its strategic partners. In a post on X, the force called on community members to cooperate with the authorities, to stay away from the drill area and to refrain from filming or photographing the exercise.
Abu Dhabi Police announced its own exercise at the same time in Al Dhafra, also in coordination with partner agencies. Residents there were likewise asked not to approach the location or take photographs.
Why the public is asked not to film
The request not to film is a standard part of drill announcements, and it serves two purposes. The first is practical. Crowds of onlookers can get in the way of responders and put themselves at risk. The second is about information. Photos and videos of an exercise, shared out of context on social media, can be mistaken for a real incident and trigger alarm. In a period when rumours about regional tensions travel quickly, authorities in the UAE have repeatedly urged residents to rely on official channels.
The police forces said the drills are intended to assess operational readiness and strengthen emergency response. Neither force linked the exercises to any specific threat or event, and neither announced a change to normal services.
What a strategic exercise involves
Police and civil-defence agencies in the UAE hold regular exercises that test how different bodies work together. A scenario typically involves several agencies, such as police, ambulance and medical teams, civil defence and local authorities, and tests communications, command structure and response times. The aim is to find weaknesses in a controlled setting, so that they can be fixed before a real emergency.
The announcements did not describe the scenarios. That is usual. Police generally keep the details back so that the test reflects real conditions, and so that participants are not coached on what to expect.
What residents should do
The guidance from both forces is simple and applies to anyone near the sites:
- Keep away from the designated areas while the exercises are under way.
- Do not take photographs or record video, and do not share any you may have captured.
- Follow instructions from officers and marshals on site.
- If you hear sirens or see emergency vehicles nearby, check official police channels before assuming something has happened.
- Allow extra time if your journey takes you near Dubai Sports City or the Al Dhafra area, as access roads may be restricted.
Context: a country on alert, but calm
The exercises come while the wider region is still on edge, with the US-Iran standoff continuing and shipping disrupted in the Gulf. Daily life in the UAE has continued largely as normal, with no general closure of airports, schools or businesses reported. Preparedness drills form part of the country’s usual approach to public safety, and the timing should not be read as a signal of a specific danger unless the authorities say so.
At the same time, officials have urged residents to stay informed through verified sources. In that sense, today’s drills also test how well the public follows instructions.
What to watch for
Both forces are likely to confirm when the exercises have finished. Residents who live or work near the sites should expect normal access to resume afterwards. Any lessons learned are not usually made public in detail, though police sometimes issue a short statement describing the drill’s objectives and thanking the partner agencies.
For now, the instruction is the same for everyone: avoid the areas, do not film, and wait for official updates.
