Dubai's World Police Summit to address best way to fight cybercrime

The inaugural event at Expo 2020 Dubai will gather law enforcement officials from more than 50 countries

Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai. Satish Kumar for The National

Police from around the world will convene in Dubai next week to discuss ways to keep pace with cybercrime.

The inaugural World Police Summit will address how to build regulatory frameworks to tackle crime involving digital technologies, including cryptocurrencies.

The event at Expo 2020 Dubai will bring together law enforcement officers, police departments and organisations, from both the public and private sectors, from more than 50 countries.

It comes as cryptocurrency-linked crime hit a record high last year, with illegal addresses receiving US$14 billion in digital currencies.

In one incident, fraudsters replicated the voice of a company director in the UAE using artificial intelligence (AI) and authorised a $35 million transfer from a Hong Kong bank.

“As enforcement agencies, our primary concern is how we can best protect our people, even in a digital age,” said Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, deputy chief of police and public security in Dubai and chairman of The Anti-Narcotics Council at Dubai Police.

“Enforcers, regulators and innovators must join forces to create an environment where innovation can thrive, outside of crime’s shadow.

“We have always worked closely with other stakeholders to develop policies and create awareness around new technologies, and we look forward to sharing our experiences and building a collaborative relationship with the global policing community at the World Police Summit 2022.”

Christopher Hudson, president of exhibition organiser DMG Events, said the summit would help global and local policing authorities to achieve closer and deeper co-operation as they seek solutions against threats and technology-enabled criminal intent.

“The summit, the first of many, brings together law enforcement and security stakeholders with industry experts and thought leaders to inspire change and shape the future of crime prevention and response,” he said.

New technologies are increasingly being adopted by police, including drones and AI, which is used to identify criminals through facial recognition technology.

The summit will be held from March 14 to 17 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo 2020 Dubai.

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