The Eastern Region Police began work in 1938 in the city of Hofuf, Ahsa province, the region’s governorate headquarters then, before moving to Dammam in the reign of Prince Saud bin Jalawi, the region governor at the time. The first director of the police in the region was Salem bin Abdurrahman Shawqi, may God bless his soul.
In 1372 A.H., (1952) a small center was opened in Dhahran under the name: Dhahran County Police that oversaw the cities of Dammam and Khobar, Dhahran, Qatif and Jubail. It was headed by Captain Hassan Al Ganadeeli, and was associated with the Directorate of General Security in Makkah. That did not last long as the Dhahran County Police Department was linked in the same year 1372 A.H., (1952) to the public security agency, with an official headquarters in Dammam.
The directors who headed the public security agency’s offices in Eastern region were:
- Major General Abdullah Al-Issa (from 1372 to 1374 A.H.)
- Abdullah Al Ehaideb (from 1374 to 1376 A.H.)
- Hassan al-Alfi (from 1376 to 1377 A.H.)
- Major General Hassan Al Ganadeeli (from 1377 to 1378 A.H.)
- Major General Ali Sairafi (from 1378 to 1387 A.H.)
- Colonel Abdulaziz Al Owaisi (from 1387 to 1389 A.H.)
In 1390 A.H., (1970), a decision by the minister of interior has changed the name of Public Security Agency to Police Directorate of Eastern Region. A number of directors headed the Directorate. Below is a list of them in chronological order:
- Maj. General Mohammed Al-Hilali (from 1389 to 1397 A.H.)
- Major General Ahmad Miyah (from 1397 to 1400 A.H.)
- Major General Abdullah Al-Othman (from 1400 to 1406 A.H.)
- Major General Abbas Muwais (from 1406 to 1408 A.H. (acting chief))
- Major General Mohammed bin Rajaa Al Harbi (from 1048 to 1413 A.H.)
- Maj. General Humaid bin Saleh Al Ghanimi (from 1413 to 1421 A.H.)
- Major General Nasser bin Mohammed Al Nasser (from 1421 to 1423 A.H.)
- Maj. General Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Bu’adi (from 1423 to 1426 A.H.)
- Major General Mohammed bin Yahya Al Assaf (from 1426 to 1428 A.H.)
- Major General Saad bin Musleh Al Thubaiti (from 1429 to 1432 A.H.)
- Maj. General Gharmalla bin Mohammed Al-Zahrani (from 1433 A.H. till now.)