Abu Dhabi: Drones, smart patrol cars and tracking devices are just some of the innovations the Ministry of Interior is using in its fight against crime, the ministry revealed on Tuesday.
Inaugurated by Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, the three-day International Exhibition for Security and National Resilience (ISNR) showcased a unique police car that uses seven live cameras and can identify people via facial recognition software.
“These vehicles will act as a second supporter to regular patrol cars. We currently have 36 smart vehicles patrolling Abu Dhabi city from 8am until 4am but soon we will extend their usability into Al Ain and the northern emirates. Regular patrol cars have a response time from 10 to 13 minutes while the new vehicles have one of less than five minutes,” said Lieutenant Saud Al Za’abi from the Security Support Section at Abu Dhabi Police.
“They also have facial recognition software, which is connected to the wanted list of individuals and a fingerprint scanner. Upon detecting a wanted person, the system automatically informs us so we can take action. Additionally, a scanner to find wanted licence plates is also installed in the vehicle, and police officers are virtually able to conduct their office work from inside the car,” Al Za’abi added.
Curfew
Meanwhile, non-violent offenders who have been found guilty of crimes such as embezzlement, fraud and petty theft, can be tracked via GPS and house curfew bracelets that will be placed on their wrists after they have been released from prison, officials revealed.
“In cases where we want to keep individuals from accessing certain locations, we may use the GPS tracking bracelets to ensure that they do not approach areas where they may be considered a threat. Whereas if we want to make sure that a person is kept within the premises of their home during a certain period of time, we may use a bracelet that notifies the authorities if the person violated their court order,” Major Saif Ahmad Al Wahidi, from the Abu Dhabi Police Department of Community Services told Gulf News.
Running alongside ISNR, the latest technologies and workshops in the field of occupational health and safety, fires and emergencies will be explored in addition to the Civil Defence Fire Fighter Challenge, in which eight women firefighters will be taking part in on Wednesday.
