The Public Security Forces (PSF), formerly known as the Bahrain State Police, are the principal Bahraini law enforcement arm of the Ministry of Interior. They are commanded by Maj. Gen. Tarek Al Hasan and include all Ministry of Interior field units responsible for maintaining order and security in Bahrain.[1]: 52
Public Security Forces قوات الأمن العام Quwwāt al-ʾamn al-ʿām
The Bahrain Police Directorate was first established in 1961 to address internal security, and was headed by Shaikh Mohammed ibn Salman Al Khalifa. At the time of Bahrain's independence from Britain in 1971, the name of the Directorate was changed to the Ministry of Interior, and the State Police was renamed as Public Security Forces.[2]
Departmentsedit
The following units and departments are among those that report directly to the PSF command:
The police departments of four of the governorates of Bahrain (Manama, Muharraq, Shamaliyah and Junubiyah).
Members of the PSF were the law enforcement officers most often involved in crowd control, and thus in direct clashes with protesters, during the Bahraini uprising. According to a Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report issued in November 2011, they were equipped with "body armour, shields, batons, sound bombs, tear gas and shotguns." They undertook all operations to clear protesters from the Pearl Roundabout, including one that took place on Bloody Thursday which led to the death of four protesters. The PSF also carried out arrests, patrol missions and searches.[1]: 52–3
Human rights violationsedit
According to the BICI report, PSF units involved in the Bahraini uprising used excessive force when dealing with protesters which led to many injuries, including loss of vision. The report stated:[1]: 266–7
An examination of the evidence presented to the Commission has revealed that PSF units involved in the events of February/March 2011 and subsequent events in many situations violated the principles of necessity and proportionality, which are the generally applicable legal principles in matters relating to the use of force by law enforcement officials. This is evident in both the choice of weapons that were used by these forces during confrontations with civilians and the manner in which these weapons were used. ... [T]he Commission concludes that while it has not found evidence establishing a purposeful practice of the use of lethal force by PSF units during the performance of their duties, the PSF have, on many occasions, used force and firearms in situations where this was unnecessary and in a manner that was disproportionate.
However, as of May 2011, the Government of Bahrain has not taken any action against those who used excessive force against the protesters.[3]: 10
In March 2021, Human Rights Watch and Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy claimed that the Bahraini security forces unnecessarily detained children aged between 11 and 17 over protest-related cases. The police threatened a 13-year-old with rape and electric shocks from a car battery. The police was also accused of beating children and terrorizing them into forced confessions, while barring their parents and lawyers from being present during the interrogations.[4][5] There was also a video of police vehicles attempting to run down people.[6]
Chiefs of Public Security of Bahrainedit
#
Name
Took office
Left office
1
Tariq Mubarak bin Dayna
-
2011
2
Tariq Hasan Al Hasan
2011
-
Helicoptersedit
The Public Security Forces originally operated a pair of Westland Scouts as well as a pair of Hughes 269C helicopters. Later deliveries included a pair of Sikorsky S-76 helicopters as well as a McCulloch J-2 autogyro and an unknown number of Hughes 500D scout helicopters. Three Bell 412 utility transport helicopters now form the main lift of the force, and a single Bell 427 was acquired in 2001.[7]
Uniformsedit
The uniforms are Navy blue but in the past they were khaki/brown.[8]
Referencesedit
^ abcReport of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (PDF) (Report). Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry. 23 November 2011.
^(PDF) (Report). Human Rights First. 17 May 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
^"Bahrain: Police Beat, Threaten Children, Parents, Lawyers Barred from Interrogations, Hearings". Human Rights Watch. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
^"Rights groups say Bahrain police beat children and threatened them with rape". Reuters. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
^"Bahrain Police in SUVs Try to Run Down Protesters".
^"Bahrain". Armed Forces Overviews. Scramble. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
public, security, forces, this, article, uses, bare, urls, which, uninformative, vulnerable, link, please, consider, converting, them, full, citations, ensure, article, remains, verifiable, maintains, consistent, citation, style, several, templates, tools, ava. This article uses bare URLs which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting such as reFill documentation and Citation bot documentation September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Public Security Forces PSF formerly known as the Bahrain State Police are the principal Bahraini law enforcement arm of the Ministry of Interior They are commanded by Maj Gen Tarek Al Hasan and include all Ministry of Interior field units responsible for maintaining order and security in Bahrain 1 52 Public Security Forcesقوات الأمن العام Quwwat al ʾamn al ʿamAgency overviewFormed1971Preceding agencyBahrain PoliceJurisdictional structureOperations jurisdictionBahrainConstituting instrumentDecree Law No 3 of the Year 1982 on the System of the Public Security ForcesOperational structureHeadquartersDiwan Fort Manama26 13 22 47 N 50 34 33 8 E 26 2229083 N 50 576056 E 26 2229083 50 576056Elected officer responsibleRashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa Minister of InteriorAgency executiveTariq Al Hasan Chief of Public SecurityWebsitewww wbr policemc wbr gov wbr bh wbr en wbr Contents 1 History 2 Departments 3 Role during 2011 present uprising 3 1 Human rights violations 4 Chiefs of Public Security of Bahrain 5 Helicopters 6 Uniforms 7 ReferencesHistory editThe Bahrain Police Directorate was first established in 1961 to address internal security and was headed by Shaikh Mohammed ibn Salman Al Khalifa At the time of Bahrain s independence from Britain in 1971 the name of the Directorate was changed to the Ministry of Interior and the State Police was renamed as Public Security Forces 2 Departments editThe following units and departments are among those that report directly to the PSF command The police departments of four of the governorates of Bahrain Manama Muharraq Shamaliyah and Junubiyah The Special Forces Department The Special Protections Department The Counter Terrorism Centre The General Directorate of Guards The Traffic Police The Operations Department The Coast Guard Role during 2011 present uprising editMembers of the PSF were the law enforcement officers most often involved in crowd control and thus in direct clashes with protesters during the Bahraini uprising According to a Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry BICI report issued in November 2011 they were equipped with body armour shields batons sound bombs tear gas and shotguns They undertook all operations to clear protesters from the Pearl Roundabout including one that took place on Bloody Thursday which led to the death of four protesters The PSF also carried out arrests patrol missions and searches 1 52 3 Human rights violations edit According to the BICI report PSF units involved in the Bahraini uprising used excessive force when dealing with protesters which led to many injuries including loss of vision The report stated 1 266 7 An examination of the evidence presented to the Commission has revealed that PSF units involved in the events of February March 2011 and subsequent events in many situations violated the principles of necessity and proportionality which are the generally applicable legal principles in matters relating to the use of force by law enforcement officials This is evident in both the choice of weapons that were used by these forces during confrontations with civilians and the manner in which these weapons were used T he Commission concludes that while it has not found evidence establishing a purposeful practice of the use of lethal force by PSF units during the performance of their duties the PSF have on many occasions used force and firearms in situations where this was unnecessary and in a manner that was disproportionate However as of May 2011 the Government of Bahrain has not taken any action against those who used excessive force against the protesters 3 10 In March 2021 Human Rights Watch and Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy claimed that the Bahraini security forces unnecessarily detained children aged between 11 and 17 over protest related cases The police threatened a 13 year old with rape and electric shocks from a car battery The police was also accused of beating children and terrorizing them into forced confessions while barring their parents and lawyers from being present during the interrogations 4 5 There was also a video of police vehicles attempting to run down people 6 Chiefs of Public Security of Bahrain edit Name Took office Left office1 Tariq Mubarak bin Dayna 20112 Tariq Hasan Al Hasan 2011 Helicopters editThe Public Security Forces originally operated a pair of Westland Scouts as well as a pair of Hughes 269C helicopters Later deliveries included a pair of Sikorsky S 76 helicopters as well as a McCulloch J 2 autogyro and an unknown number of Hughes 500D scout helicopters Three Bell 412 utility transport helicopters now form the main lift of the force and a single Bell 427 was acquired in 2001 7 Uniforms editThe uniforms are Navy blue but in the past they were khaki brown 8 References edit a b c Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry PDF Report Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry 23 November 2011 Staff writer History of Police in the Kingdom of Bahrain Ministry of the Interior Bahrain Retrieved 17 February 2012 Bahrain Speaking Softly PDF Report Human Rights First 17 May 2011 Archived from the original PDF on 11 June 2019 Retrieved 26 February 2012 Bahrain Police Beat Threaten Children Parents Lawyers Barred from Interrogations Hearings Human Rights Watch 10 March 2021 Retrieved 10 March 2021 Rights groups say Bahrain police beat children and threatened them with rape Reuters 10 March 2021 Retrieved 10 March 2021 Bahrain Police in SUVs Try to Run Down Protesters Bahrain Armed Forces Overviews Scramble Retrieved 4 January 2017 https www policemc gov bh en news ministry 98879 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Public Security Forces amp oldid 1168400107, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
