New Dubai Police cameras to keep tabs on traffic offenders

High-tech, high resolution cameras will be installed that can easily read number plates of those who drive on hard shoulders or cut off others from undesignated places.

DUBAI // Motorists driving on hard shoulders or trying to cut in on other drivers from undesignated areas will face the consequences when new high-tech, high-resolution cameras are installed from next year.

Directly linked to the operations department at Dubai Police, 30 new cameras will be able to read number plates and 70 cameras will be able to identify cars that have been reported as stolen.

Brig Kamel Al Suwaidi, director of the general department of operations at Dubai Police, said: “The purpose of this system is to stop those who drive on the hard shoulder and those who cut off other vehicles by using the undesignated, white-striped areas, in between roads.

“We will be able to immediately identify the car, licence plate and location and immediately dispatch patrols to the scene.”

There are more than 30,000 cameras, most of which are connected to the operations department, across the emirate.

Meanwhile, a Dubai Police smart motorcycle, which is currently in development, will be connected to the operations room via 4G. “The bike will be able to locate stolen vehicles in the vicinity and will have a radar installed, a system for face recognition and for fingerprints,” Brig Al Suwaidi said.

As reported in The National last month, he said 100 body-mounted cameras had been distributed to police officers for a six-month trial.

Brig Omar Al Shamsi, deputy director of the general directorate of operations, assured residents that police cameras would not compromise their privacy.

“Even though there are lots of cameras in the emirate, they are never positioned in areas deemed to be an invasion of privacy, such as hotel rooms,” he said. “The cameras are always in public places, where they can be seen.”

Two other systems are also scheduled to launch next year: one that will help officers to identify areas in which crimes occur; and a computer system that will assist operations-room officers to obtain secure information as fast as possible.