Article 31 of the Saudi Municipalities Law
المادة 31 من نظام البلديات والقرى
The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, in agreement with the Minister of Interior, specifies the municipalities that need a municipal police and its numbers; members are chosen from the internal security forces and report to the head of the municipality.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يحدد وزير الشئون البلدية والقروية بالاتفاق مع وزير الداخلية، البلديات التي تحتاج إلى شرطة بلدية ، كما يحدد عدد أفرادها ورتبهم، ويتم اختيار شرطة البلدية من بين رجال قوات الأمن الداخلي وفق أحكام النظام الخاص بهم، ويكونون خلال فترة إلحاقهم بالبلدية تحت إمرة رئيسها .
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 31 explained in plain English
This article regulates the municipal police, that is, security personnel attached to the municipality to help it carry out its work:
- Which municipalities need it? The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs specifies them in agreement with the Minister of Interior; not every municipality necessarily has a municipal police.
- Number and ranks: the Minister also specifies these.
- Where are they chosen from? From among members of the internal security forces, under the provisions of the regulations governing them. They are not civilian employees of the municipality, but security personnel attached to it.
- Who they report to: during their attachment to the municipality they are under the command of its head.
The combination of the two is important: they remain subject to the regulations governing the internal security forces in their selection, but in their daily work during attachment they take orders from the head of the municipality. The article does not specify the tasks or detailed powers of the municipal police, or the length of the attachment.
This article comes after Article 30, under which the Minister specifies the decisions of the head of the municipality that need the Minister's approval or that of a delegate. It is followed by Article 32, which turns to the municipality's property, making all lands within its boundaries that no one owns the municipality's property, subject to rights recognized under Sharia.
Practical example
The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, in agreement with the Minister of Interior, decided that the municipality of one of the governorates needs a municipal police. Its members are chosen from the internal security forces, and during their attachment to the municipality they work under the command of its head.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 31 of the Saudi Municipalities Law
Who do municipal police members report to?
During their attachment to the municipality they are under the command of its head.
Where are the municipal police chosen from?
From among members of the internal security forces, under the provisions of the regulations governing them.
Does every municipality have a municipal police?
The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, in agreement with the Minister of Interior, specifies the municipalities that need one.
More articles on The Mayor and His Powers
- Article 6
The article distributes authority in the municipality between the municipal council, which exercises decision and oversight, and the head of the municipality, who exercises execution with the help of municipal bodies.
يتولى السلطات في البلدية : 1 - المجلس البلدي ، ويمارس سلطة التقرير والمراقبة. 2 - رئيس البلدية ، ويمارس سلطة التنفيذ بمعاونة أجهزة البلدية .
- Article 28
The head of the municipality is the first reference in its affairs and responsible for its management and employees, issues its decisions within the regulations, represents it before others and may delegate in writing.
رئيس البلدية هو المرجع الأول في أمور البلدية وهو المسئول عن إدارتها وحسن قيام موظفيها بواجباتهم وفق الأنظمة والتعليمات النافذة، وله الحق في إصدار القرارات والتع
- Article 29
The article requires the head of the municipality, as head of its executive authority, to take the measures needed for it to perform its duties, including managing its funds, preparing and executing the budget and concluding contracts.
على رئيس البلدية بصفته رئيسا لسلطتها التنفيذية اتخاذ جميع التدابير اللازمة لقيام البلدية بواجباتها وفق هذا النظام وغيره من الأنظمة واللوائح والقرارات، وخاصة ما
- Article 30
The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs specifies which decisions of the head of the municipality need the Minister's approval or that of a delegate.
يحدد وزير الشئون البلدية والقروية قرارات رئيس البلدية التي تحتاج إلى تصديقه أو تصديق من يفوضه.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.