Welcome to Dubai, where crime-fighting takes place from the air, CCTV and AI robots
Dubai has come up with a novel approach to law enforcement that will remove the need for police officers.
City authorities are looking at high-tech initiatives instead, including a crime-fighting airborne surveillance blimp, interlinked CCTV cameras and rapid response teams.
The proposals, called “Police without Policemen”, are part of Dubai’s 10X initiative, which aims to put the city 10 years ahead of the rest of the world.
The blimp would fly over Dubai to act as an airborne early warning system, monitoring open spaces and building sites. On the ground, cameras fixed on fences and homes would harness “crowd-sourcing” and advanced technology to enforce the security and safety of the community. And a “station on patrol” would provide rapid response in emergencies without the need for traditional police stations.
Dubai Police Commander-in-Chief, Maj Gen Abdullah Al Marri, said the concepts would strengthen the partnership between the force and the community, leading to improved safety, security and happiness, and a faster response to any challenges or disorder.
“Sometimes in traditional policing measures, valuable time is lost in identifying and arresting criminals,” Maj Gen Al Marri said. “However, with the disruptive innovation that we propose through our new projects, that deploy the latest technologies, we aim to scale up operational efficiency.”
The 10X concept was launched at the Dubai World Government Summit, in which 26 projects were put forward by 24 departments.
Dubai is also investing in robot policemen, with reports that they could make up a quarter of the force by 2030.
They include a three-metretall robot that can carry heavy equipment, with a top speed of 80 kilometres per hour, that is controlled by a police officer in a cabin. Egg-shaped robots will also be used for parking management and warnings.
The city is also investing in artificial intelligence, including facial-recognition technology that will anticipate traffic jams and even take into account the driving styles of different nationalities.
Dubai Police say the ‘disruptive innovation’ will strengthen the partnership between force and community