Dubai: People driving stolen vehicles or those driving recklessly will now be tracked in a flash with next-generation smart cameras to be installed in key areas across the city, the Dubai Police has announced on Tuesday.
One of the camera types, nicknamed "Rasd", will monitor the roads, scan vehicle numbers and alert the police operations room and patrols if any wanted vehicle passes in the area.
Up to 70 such high-resolution cameras will be installed across Dubai, initially in areas with a high traffic concentration.
Brigadier Kamel Butti Al Suwaidi, Director of the Department of Operations at Dubai Police said that the other type of camera, called "Al Mutabea", will monitor roads and quickly identify any car flouting traffic rules.
Eyes on the road
There will be 30 cameras of this type that will fine people for not adhering to lane discipline, driving on the hard shoulder or cutting into traffic.
The camera will first send the violation report with high-resolution pictures to an officer who will double check the accuracy of the incident and approve the fine.
The two camera types now in the police arsenal against traffic violators are part of fresh initiatives unveiled on Tuesday.
Camera cards
Brig Al Suwaidi said the programme will also help police identify areas with a higher percentage of “worrying crimes” so more police resources can be assigned to them.
“We have already started testing 100 camera cards, and we have trained some officers on how to use these. We are going to check the feedback and results of the trial in six months.”
The smart police motorcycles, meanwhile, will be fitted with 4G gear and will be linked to the police central operations room.
The system will help officers check a vehicle’s information on the move. “We are looking into fitting a radar, fingerprint and face recognition devices on the motorcycle too.”
Dubai already has between 30,000-35,000 cameras installed, many of which are connected to the operations room.
Brig Omar Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, Deputy Director of Operations at Dubai Police, said that cameras across the city are placed in public areas and do not violate people’s privacy.
