UAE: Features of new Dubai Police app include collision detection, facial recognition

The news was made at the Innovation Centre during a press conference attended by Major General Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi, Director General of Artificial Intelligence, Dubai Police.

Also present were Lieutenant Colonel Ali Abdullah Al Naqbi, Head of the Maritime Rescue Department of the Port Police; Lieutenant Colonel Ali Muhammad Al Matroushi, Director of Child and Women’s Protection, General Directorate of Human Rights; Lieutenant Colonel Ali Muhammad Abdul Qadir Ahli, Acting Director of the Command and Control Centre, General Directorate of Operations ; Officials and media personnel including Hessa Al Bolshoi, Director of the Intelligent Applications Division of the General Directorate of Artificial Intelligence.

Maj Gen Al Razooqi said the app has won six consecutive Best Government Services awards and was ranked first in the Hamadan Bin Mohammad Government Services Scheme.

He added that over the past three years, the app has been downloaded by 4,038,000 users and processed 2,171,432 transactions.

“The high number of downloads and transactions reflects the unit’s passion for delivering the best service and functionality to facilitate customer processes,” said Maj Gen Al Razooqi.

Al Bolshoi said the app includes a “dashboard” containing personal information, electronic cards and all transactions offered to customers, as well as statistics showing the percentage of service usage and traffic violations.

“The latest update to the smart app offers several services that provide a superior customer experience. To make the login process more accessible, customers can now log into the Dubai Police app using facial recognition,” she added.

The head of the smart application department also said that the application was developed to detect serious accidents, such as car collisions, and to issue a distress signal (SOS) in the event of a serious traffic accident without human intervention.

“It also includes a new feature to notify users of temporary street closures and major traffic incidents. When major incidents requiring temporary road closures are reported to the command and control room or police patrol, road users will be notified via the Dubai Police app be notified so they can find alternative routes and avoid congestion.”

Al Bolshoi said the app includes new features to protect women and children and support all vulnerable groups. This feature allows them to call for help in an emergency anytime, anywhere.

“Dubai Police’s updated smart app includes a feature for visually impaired people, enabling them to request assistance and submit complaints and suggestions. It also includes a reading camera for blind people to process captured images,” Al said. Bolshoi added.

During the meeting, the Directorate General of Artificial Intelligence introduced several essential services, including Police Eye, aimed at enabling the public to fight crime by reporting violations. Since 2020, the public has reported 4,963 breaches, said Samer Al Khajah, head of the project section at the General Directorate of Artificial Intelligence.

He added: “The Eye of the Police allows people to report any wrongdoing, including rioting, brawls, alcohol or drug trafficking or addiction, anti-social behaviour or suspicious activity that could expose offenders to legal liability.”

Al Khajah said the Safe Sailing service can track the journey of a cruise ship; warn users of any delays in the journey; identify hazards; send SOS requests directly to Dubai Police; facilitate rapid emergency response; determine the location of persons in distress and the type of distress severity and degree.

He confirmed that Sail Safely has reached 5,095 registered members, indicating that the service provides users with free and easy access to interactive ocean maps. It also allows users to identify emergencies – drownings, collisions, fuel shortages or vessel breakdowns.