The following is a translated transcript of Sheikh Mohammed's speech during a ceremony for newly retired officers at Dubai Police Officers' Club.

This year, you have all worked hard and accomplished a great deal and everyone is proud of your achievements. There are two paths: anyone who doesn't complete an assignment perfectly will be fired and replaced while the hardworking will be rewarded and promoted.

You worked hard and did everything that we asked of you. I have the honour of being one of the people who trained you. That guidance has brought you to this point and now Dubai Police is on a par with any police force in the world. In addition, Dubai Police uses its authority in defence of the powerless and against the unjust to ensure that the law is upheld.

Frankly, I want to give your ambitious brothers a chance because change is a part of life, as you know, but I assure you that you are and always will be part of Dubai Police because you have put your blood and soul into it.

As some brothers said, "It's impossible to retire and do nothing." We hope that you will have an honourable and financially stable life that provides security for your future and that of your children and that you will prepare your younger brothers to serve our country.

We all serve this country under Sheikh Zayed's leadership. We must seek knowledge because the path to knowledge is the path to happiness - when you know something, it can no longer harm you.

This is also true of police science. We are all learning, and you have achieved what we asked of you - otherwise you wouldn't have been made Major Generals - you got to this stage by accomplishing all that was asked of you.

Thank Allah, I had the honour of training you, I have followed your progress and now I must train your little brothers and give them this opportunity. There is no guarantee, not even for those who've been promoted. None of you should think that your positions are secure.

Man is ambitious; your colleagues will have to be ambitious to reach the position that you've reached and to achieve what you've achieved.

Frankly, I have friends - some of whom I studied with and some of whom are brothers in high positions - who said, "Nine Major Generals at once? That'll leave a gap - how are you going to fill it?"

Just as we trained you to reach the top and you are retiring with pride, you worked hard and each of you played an important role in building the reputation enjoyed by the UAE Police in general and particularly by Dubai Police.

We are all at the service of this people and this country under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Zayed and Maktoum.

We have duties that must be carried out without delay and we must ensure that we are on solid ground before we venture into uncharted territory. Thank Allah, we do not have favouritism and we must not allow any - if there were favouritism, you would still be in your positions because you are closest to us. We have Sandhurst graduates who are very close to me, and they must prove that they are capable of doing what we ask of them.

After hearing the news, one of the newly promoted officers said, "I worked hard to get a position, but I never dreamed I'd be in such a high position."

Naturally, those who have desire possess the first seed of any ambition - they need only plant this seed in order to realise their ambition. Today we are obliged to go forward if we are to keep up with the rest of the world and with science, knowledge and experience we will go to the top.

You are retiring while you're at the top, you should be proud of what you've accomplished because all of you performed perfectly, but we are assigned certain duties in life and mine is to invest in and shape men so that they can be of service to this people and this country.

One is asked only to fulfil one's obligations; we must not procrastinate. You have worked hard and moved to the second line.

Over the past 5 years, I have studied the second line, asking myself, "Are they ready for the responsibility?" Just as I had confidence in you, I believe that they are ready.

And, as I told you, if they are not up to the task then there are no guarantees; if one of them can't do the job, he'll be replaced by someone who can.

I thank you again for your accomplishments, of which we are proud. Thank you.

This is what I expect of my brothers who have been appointed to new posts: I call upon you to prove that I was justified (in promoting you) and to explore new horizons. I would like you to have desire and ambition, because when you have the dream, desire, ambition, will, power and knowledge, then the only other thing you need is work. If you have all this, you must dedicate all effort to what is both an honour and a responsibility.

Of course, I will be keeping track of you and I am the one who decides where you'll be. Know that those who promoted you can fire you - that's life. Allah created this life as a test that we either pass or fail. We must work hard in the service of this country and this people and, Allah willing, you will meet my expectations. I am very optimistic - be positive and ambitious.

Thank you.