Enab Baladi – Christina al-Shammas
Every day starting at eight in the morning, policeman Abu Ahmad stands under the Victoria Bridge in Damascus to organize traffic, a routine he has maintained for 55 years since his appointment to the police force in 1970, making him the oldest traffic policeman in Syria.
“My profession has become an inseparable part of my life,” with this phrase, Policeman Mohammed Ziad Shahwan, known as “Uncle Abu Ahmad,” began his conversation with Enab Baladi. He is now 81 years old and continues to work.
Abu Ahmad joined the traffic police in 1970 and was allocated to the Victoria Bridge area, where he has continued to manage traffic until his retirement in 1994. However, his experience in the area, which used to be a gathering place for ministries, and his love for the work made him return under a contract that lasted until the fall of the previous regime.
“I sat at home for nearly three months, the most difficult period of my life, until I received a call informing me of the possibility of my return. It was the best news of my life,” Abu Ahmad described his happiness upon learning he could return to work after the regime’s fall, despite having been previously told that his request was denied due to his age.
A friendly relationship with drivers
Abu Ahmad has witnessed the developments the capital has gone through since 1970 until now, making the Victoria Bridge area and its developments a firm history in his mind.
The policeman managed to create a rapport and affection with the drivers and pedestrians in Victoria, stating, “I greet them, and I hear supportive words that leave a good impact on my heart.”
Instead of issuing fines to offending drivers, Abu Ahmad adopts a conversational approach, saying, “Kind words can change a person’s behavior more than a ticket that may not be effective at times.”
Abu Ahmad resorts to issuing fines only against those who violate traffic laws or harm others and against those who do not heed his warnings.
Despite initially rejecting his profession and not loving it, Abu Ahmad’s father’s support changed his perspective on life, leading him to dedicate his life to being a traffic policeman.
Dream of entering the Guinness World Records
“When my grandson Ahmad visits me, he wears the official uniform of a traffic policeman and imitates my movements,” Abu Ahmad expressed his ha0ppiness about his five-year-old grandson, who dreams of becoming a traffic policeman like his grandfather in the future.
He receives moral support from his family, which consists of five children and ten grandchildren, encouraging him to continue his work and achieve his dream and his family’s dream of entering the Guinness World Records as the oldest traffic policeman in the world.
Abu Ahmad does not think about resigning as long as he remains in good health, stating, “Man’s enemy is comfort; to leave a mark in your work, you must make an effort.”
Abu Ahmad hopes that the transitional government will improve salaries and compensate him for his years of service, as the salary he receives is not enough for three days. Nevertheless, he continues in his work out of love and loyalty to his profession.
Syria’s oldest traffic policeman marks 55 years of service Enab Baladi.
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