Dubai: Now you can report crime, or suspicious activities in Dubai in six languages. Right from your smartphone. On Thursday, authorities here disclosed that its “Police Eye” service has clocked in a staggering 108,100 pieces of information from the public in the last five years.
That’s equivalent to nearly 60 tip-offs everyday.
These submissions encompass a myriad of criminal and traffic-related reports — from public disturbances to drugs and alcohol, to vandalism and human trafficking — and shows a dramatic app-driven community engagement in the emirate's law-enforcement drive.
The information include 61,287 criminal reports and 46,813 traffic-related reports.
Through the “Police Eye” platform, available on the Dubai Police app, residents are able to immediately report suspicious activities, traffic incidents to the authorities for prompt action.
The revelation was made during a press conference at the Dubai Police General Command, highlights the community’s active role in promoting safety and security.
The press conference was held at Al Barsha Police Station which was attended by Major General Mohammed Nasser Al Razzouqi, Acting Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Operations Affairs; Major General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, Director of the General Department of Traffic.
Also present were Major General Eid Mohammed Thani Hareb, Director of the General Department of Anti-Narcotics; Brigadier Mansour Al Qarqawi, Director of the General Department of Administrative Affairs; Brigadier Mohammed Aqeel Ahli, Deputy Director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation for Search and Investigation Affairs; Brigadier Essa Ahmad Salem, Director of Al Barsha Police Station and several officers.
Increased popularity
The statistics indicate a consistent increase in the number of citizens, residents, and visitors using the “Police Eye” platform to cooperate with authorities and help better secure the emirate.
This trend demonstrates a commitment towards a shared responsibility to enhance public security and high level of public trust in the police force.
“Police Eye” also receives tip-offs and reports even from outside the country — mostly related to drugs.
What is the Police Eye service?
The Police Eye service is offered by Dubai Police, which allows people in Dubai to collaborate with the police to report any suspicious activity in the emirate.
The platform empowers community members to contribute toward preserving security by reporting illegal activities.
The service plays a significant role in the work to enhance public safety and community well-being.
Police Eye reports: 5-year snapshot
- 2023: 41,399 pieces of information (32,102 criminal, 9,297 traffic-related).
- 2022: 26,397 pieces of information (15,723 criminal, 10,674 traffic-related).
- 2021: 17,914 pieces of information (13,550 criminal, 4,364 traffic-related).
- 2020: 17,793 pieces of information (11,721 criminal, 6,072 traffic-related).
- 2019: 4,597 pieces of information (3,752 criminal, 845 traffic-related).
How to use Police Eye
Once on the Dubai Police app, residents need to click on a button titled “Police Eye” — where they can type out what they witnessed and send it to the authorities.
Police “will get your report in seconds … and will respond immediately”.
Residents can file online complaints from across different categories including:
- Traffic violations of all kinds,
- Disturbance,
- Drugs and alcohol,
- Suspicious vehicle,
- Suspicious gathering,
- Beggars,
- Vandalism,
- Prostitution,
- Gambling,
- Human trafficking,
- Women and child abuse
Traffic violations
Police pointed out that they have recently received many reports about young people gathering in desert where they were making illegal racing or reckless driving, thereby posing danger to their own lives and lives of others.
Police became aware of these new places only after they received the information from the public through Police Eye. As a result, many violators had been arrested and their vehicles confiscated.
Criminal
More importantly, police have arrested a number of drug traffickers and drug abusers after they were notified by the public about such illegal activities.
Police respond to the tip-off and after verifying the accuracy of information, action is taken. Numerous members of the community had been honoured for their cooperation through the service.
40,000
Number of tip-offs, or reports of suspicious criminal activity received on Police Eye platformMore than 40,000 tip-offs were received in 2023 related to suspicious criminal activities, according to Brig. Mohammed Aqeel Ahli, Deputy Director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation for Search and Investigation Affairs.
He added that the CID received reports about scams, disturbances in neighbourhoods as well as electronic crimes. The department tackles every tip-off with utmost professionalism.
Some of the information revealed criminal gang activities, which then led to their arrest, he added.
Case study
In one incident, police received information from a community member that a man was severely beaten by another man in public before forcibly pushing him inside a car. The person who reported the incident suspected the issue was a kidnapping case.
Police responded immediately. Upon moving to the incident site, investigators found that the issue was triggered by a financial dispute between them and it’s not a kidnapping case.
Dubai Police app
The app is available on:
- Androids
- iOS
How it works
It allows users to attach the following:
- Videos,
- Photos, and
- Voice messages.
Police deal with the information with utmost confidentiality. When reporting crime, and users have the option of keeping their identity anonymous.
Languages
Currently, the app can be used in six languages, including:
- Arabic,
- English,
- Chinese,
- French,
- German, and
- Russian.
Police Eye team: Prompt action
Personnel on duty belong to a highly-qualified and trained cadre with high efficiency in dealing with reports.
Based on the nature of each report, all tip-offs are transferred immediately to the relevant authorities. The information and reports are received round the clock (24/7).
How can I use the service?
The service can be used through the following platforms:
Dubai Police app
1. Download the ‘Dubai Police’ app, which is available for iOS and Android users.
2. Once you access the app, you will see the “Police Eye” option at the bottom of your screen.
3. You will get the options for the type of illegal activity you would like to report.
4. Select from the menu options, which include traffic reports, general reports or violence and social abuse.
5. You will then be asked to enter details of the incident, along with location where the incident happened and the option to add an image.
6. Once you have entered the details, tap on ‘Report’.
Dubai Police website
1. Visit https://www.dubaipolice.gov.ae/wps/portal/websps/webspsserviceslist/webspsPoliceEye
2. Select a location on the map. Then choose a marker from the list provided under the map, to indicate what type of illegal activity you would like to report.
3. Write in details of the incident in the ‘Report details’ section.
4. Click ‘Submit’.
