Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami, Director General of Public Security, told the Security and History Dialogue 2026 that the future of security lies in anticipating danger rather than reacting to it, shifting from managing incidents to managing probabilities. He explained that the Kingdom's security narrative began with the state's founding, when unity was forged not only by geography but by a protective authority, a governing system, and a security that makes belonging tangible in citizens' lives.
Al-Bassami traced the evolution from unifying territory under King Abdulaziz in 1902 to building institutional security, where knowledge accumulates through regulations, training, and experience. He stressed that true institutional value comes not from gathering sectors under one umbrella but from forming a collective mindset that coordinates multiple functions toward protecting the state and serving citizens and residents.
During the Hajj season, security personnel blend firmness with compassion, preventing violations while guiding the lost and assisting the elderly, he noted, adding that technology may present the picture but the human officer reads the situation and bears decision-making responsibility. He also highlighted the importance of a shared operational picture to improve priorities, direct resources, and avoid duplicated responses.
Digital transformation, he argued, gains value when institutions move beyond automating services to using data for understanding reality and supporting decisions. With Saudi Vision 2030 expanding national transformation, tourism destinations, mega-projects, digital economy, and global events raise security demands, making security a direct partner in achieving national goals. Future leadership requires understanding systems, reading trends, and shifting from problem-solving to preventing recurrence—where knowledge expands prevention and shrinks surprise.