The concept of a modern police force was relatively new to Oman when Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said rose to power after overthrowing his father in a palace coup on July 23, 1970.

Once in power, Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, in addition to his other reform campaigns, went about building an efficient and modern police force in Oman.

In 1974, Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said conferred the title Royal Oman Police (ROP) on the newly formed force.

On 28 February 2011, in Sohar, 250 kilometres north of Oman's capital Muscat, the ROP was reported to have opened fire using live bullets on protesters.

However, the protesters became violent and started torching government buildings, including the Wali's office and the nearby police station.

[5] ROP maintains a fleet of support helicopters which perform a host of functions from fire-fighting to ambulance services to thermal imagery in anti-smuggling operations.

On 9 November 1976, the first passing out ceremony of the School of Oman's first batch of Cadre Officers was conducted here under the patronage of the Sultan.

Headquartered in Muscat, the Omani Coast Guard is led by Brigadier General Bader Khalfan Al Zadgali.

A dedicated summit with Brigadier Galal Stara, Commander of the Coast Guard Forces in the Islamic Republic of Iran, was held in March 2017.

The Royal Omani Police has engaged in major procurement programs since the mid 2010 mostly from Spanish, British and French suppliers.

It comprises a helicopter fire-fighting service for use in areas that are relatively inaccessible to ordinary fire engines as Oman has a vastly mountainous terrain.

[6] Female cadres undergo as strict or training as their male counterparts, yet Omani women have come out in numbers to join the police force.

Omani nationals are also issued with smart multipurpose ID cards, which are both flexible and secure and – among other things – show the holder's driving licence details.

Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat International Airport and all overland crossing points now use an improved Customs computer system.

These moves are designed to support the national economy and come in response to the Gulf Co-operation Council Customs Union and the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone.

Vehicles are regularly inspected, training standards for drivers have been raised and traffic rules are rigorously enforced, particularly with regard to speed limits.

By the end of 2005, fixed and mobile radar speed detectors had been installed in all the governorates and regions in a further attempt to help reduce traffic accidents.

Oman submitted a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly entitled Road safety must not be left to chance, to help promote international co-operation on the prevention of traffic accidents, which was adopted by the UN in 2004 (Titled – A/58/289).