Khulood Al Marri. Photo: Dubai Police
As the conversation surrounding women’s empowerment continued to sweep the world—and of course, the Emirates—Sergeant Khulood Al Marri has made her mark as Dubai’s first qualified woman to be handling underwater explosives. After 16 long, but resourceful years practicing on the force, Marri breaks cultural norms and steps into an unconventional and risky field of diffusing hazards. “I’m grateful to have a job that never ceases to motivate me with new challenges,” she recently shared. “Dubai Police has created a motivating environment for the youth in general and women, in particular, to ensure we strive for nothing but excellence.”
The officer sets an example as an ardent member of the security inspections and explosive diffusers team at the General Department of Organizations Protective Security and Emergency. The bomb diffusing field alone only earned itself a female officer for the first time around 10 years ago in 2011. And now, Marri will be focusing her talents on handling the underwater disposal of hazardous elements.
Before the onset of her official career as a specialist, Marri took part in a six-month-long practical training course that allowed her to have hands-on experience dealing with hazards underwater. During this quick course, her day-to-day tasks during involved detecting suspicious items, conducting thorough investigations, and diffusing and disposing hazardous explosive materials. Marri was also trained with Artificial Intelligence-enabled technology, marking a new era for the AI world and simplifying usually complex processes. Using these advanced technologies has contributed to a decrease in underwater risk as well.
According to reports, Marri initially envisioned herself growing up to become a police officer, but her love for extreme challenges helped her make a transition on her career. “She was among the first female batch to be professionally trained in 2020 on conducting security inspections and diffusing explosives,” Colonel Hisham Al Suwaidi, Director of the Explosives Security Department, explained. “She, afterwards, enrolled in advanced diving courses and joined the underwater explosives team, who is responsible for disarming, rendering safe, and disposing of explosive hazards.”
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