Dubai: Reachable via 34 different channels and 87 of its services available online, Dubai Police have easily become one of the world’s most accessible police forces.
Adopting the latest technologies and transitioning to a Smart Government are some of the key approaches to transforming Dubai into a global city where the public plays its role in maintaining security, Colonel Khalid Nasser Al Razouqi, Director of the General Department of Smart Services, said.
“Security is the pillar of development,” Col Al Razouqi said, speaking at the 10th International Symposium for Best Police Practices, which kicked off today (Sunday) at the Intercontinental Hotel in Festival City.
“Dubai Police, in line with the smart government initiative, strives to ensure a smooth transformation addressing issues involved with availing services 24/7 and within our customers’ reach. Several obstacles related to security, online payment fears and smartphones adaption were tackled during this process,” Col Al Razouqi said.
In a presentation highlighting the technologies adopted by the police, Col Al Razouqi emphasized the need for public cooperation for the city’s security to become a well-oiled machine.
“With Google Glass, police officers can issue e tickets and submit them immediately to the police server, which increase the performance and reduce the cost of hiring employees to enter it into the traffic system. Customers can also use Google Glass to access the ‘We Are All Police’ service. Smart watches can also be used to access our SOS service, while tablets and virtual reality glasses are being used by our team to raise awareness about pressing issues.”
According to statistics released by Dubai Police, nearly 2,500 transactions have been conducted via the ‘Minor Traffic Accident’ app and more than 3,800 reports filed via the ‘We Are All Police’ app.
“Mobile Apps such as ‘We Are All Police’ and ‘Minor Traffic Accident’ aim to increase public participation by helping us report any traffic violation. The apps also help people save time by reporting their minor accidents and uploading vehicle damages through our app,” he said.
Col Al Razouqi said he was thrilled by the rising popularity of Dubai Police apps, noting that the Apple store had recorded more than 380,000 downloads and 278,000 on Google Play.
“In total, there have been nearly 200,000 mobile transactions via the apps and more than 1.5 million visits on our mobile site and 35 million yearly visitors on our official website,” he said. Dubai Police generated Dh184 million in revenue through its smart services, including the Smart Kiosk, which allows residents to pay their fines and access police services.
He noted that all residents and tourists can benefit from the services. “There is no longer a need to visit a police station. People can simply use our apps instead.”
Col Al Razouqi also listed the technologies being used to patrol the city and monitor its safety.
“We have helicopters, drones, mobile operations rooms, and body cameras. We have 550 mobile cameras on our patrol vehicles, which give us the necessary mobility to ensure the city’s safety. There are also 650 external CCTV cameras and 128 for the Roads and Traffic Authority. Almost 6,300 CCTV cameras are fitted inside shopping malls in Dubai.”
Col Al Razouqi also said 110 Dubai Police vehicles were fitted with an Automated Number Plate Recognition camera (ANPR). “We are also trying out a new 10 ANPRs, which features 12 cameras giving a patrol vehicle a fully rounded detection of any surrounding violators.”
