Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Police seized more than two billion controlled pills worth Dh1.02 billion last year, a police report released recently said.
It attributed the major dent in illegal drug use to advanced drug control methods employed by the authorities.
The report has also outlined the other major achievements made by the police force last year.
Major-General Mohammad Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, stated in the report, “With the continued initiatives of the leaders of the country, Abu Dhabi succeeded in achieving the safest city in the world tag last year.”
Last year, an American survey, Numbeo, rated Abu Dhabi the safest city in the world, ranked 13.45 points ahead of the second best among 333 cities around the world.
According to statistics on Abu Dhabi Police’s website, the number of crimes per 100,000 population in the UAE was 119.8 in 2011. It decreased to 110.2 by 2013 and continued to fall to 90.6 in 2014 and 83.8 in 2015. Last year, it stood at 85.4 per 100,000 people.
“We have launched a series of strategic initiatives under the theme of ‘Future Police 1957-2057’,” Maj-Gen Al Rumaithi said late last year.
They include employing cutting-edge smart technology, robotic policing, automated drone ambulances and driverless cars for roadside assistance and that will be the future of Abu Dhabi Police.
“By 2057 [when the force celebrates its 100th anniversary], the entire fleet of the Abu Dhabi Police would be converted from fossil fuel-run to sustainable hydrogen-run vehicles,” he said.
In 2017, the Criminal Investigation Department handled 16,046 cases and processed 61,595 samples for laboratory examination, the report said. It also dealt with 774 cases of electronic crimes including 206 related to blackmailing. The police solved these complex cases using innovative techniques and latest technologies.
Al Rumaithi said Abu Dhabi Police always utilise the latest technologies in solving complex cases and nabbing culprits.
34.5% drop in road fatalities
Abu Dhabi Police have put in place a comprehensive awareness drive throughout the emirate to make roads safer for motorists and reduce accidents.
The number of road accident fatalities decreased by 34.5 per cent last year, the police report claimed, though it did not mention the comparative figure for the previous year. Serious injuries in road accidents dropped by 21 per cent to 8.85 per 100,000 residents.
Last year, Abu Dhabi Police organised 38 awareness campaigns during which motorists were educated about the road safety issues and urged to follow traffic rules for their own safety as well as the safety of other road users. These campaigns helped reduce the number of road fatalities, injuries and damage to property, the report said.
We Are All Police
As many as 10,875 people have registered with the ‘We Are All Police’ initiative in the emirate including Al Ain and Al Gharbia. The initiative has helped in spreading peace, safety and security in the society and has created a sense of satisfaction among residents about controlling criminal activities in the emirate, the report said.
Inmates
Regarding the rehabilitation and correctional centres, the report said 1,296 inmates benefited from the Quran memorisation programme last year, 651 from professional workshops and 165 prisoners were trained in hospitality services as per international standards.
