The Dubai Police General HQ announced
the launch of an artificial intelligence surveillance programme, called Oyoon
(Eyes). It is a part of the Dubai 2021 plan and it
aims to enhance the emirate’s global position it terms of providing a safer
living experience for all citizens, residents and visitors.
In a press conference, HE Major General Ibrahim Khalil
Ibrahim Al Mansouri , Assistant Commandant for Criminal Investigations of Dubai
Police, said that as per the directives of His Excellency General Abdullah
Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, the Oyoon committee was
formed and includes strategic partners from the government sector such as the
State Security Agency, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) ,
Dubai Municipality, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Roads and
Transport Authority (RTA), Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), Dubai
Smart Office, and strategic partners such as Nakheel Group, Miraas Group, Dubai
Properties, DWTC, Dubai Global Village, and Madinat Jumeirah.
The aim of the project is to create an integrated security
system that utilises modern, sophisticated technologies and artificial
intelligence features to prevent crime, reduce traffic accident related deaths,
and prevent any negative incidents in residential, commercial and vital areas.
It is expected to enable immediate response to incidents, even before they get
reported to the command unit.
The project will also support the decision-making process, help
in ensuring the protection of all vital areas and roads, and optimise the use
of human resources, by reducing the need for human intervention, especially in
the areas of monitoring, analysis and surveillance.
The Oyoon committee will set standards on the installation
and use of all CCTV cameras across the Emirate of Dubai, and conduct field
studies across all jurisdiction areas to ensure the highest levels of security
and safety in the region.
The Oyoon project is also in line with the UAE
Strategy for artificial intelligence, launched by His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE
and Ruler of Dubai. The UAE AI strategy itself is part of the UAE
Centennial 2071 objectives. In December 2017, Dubai Police revealed
a Strategic Plan (2018-31) for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Department at
the Dubai Police. The AI strategic plan will cover community service centres
and its clients; criminal investigation; road security; disaster management and
forensics. The plan seeks to develop AI-assisted customer service centres,
smart police stations in different regions, as well as "walk in" and
"drive through" centres having robots.
Wissam Lootah, Executive Director of Dubai Smart Government,
said, "Oyoon will be of great benefit to the Emirate of Dubai in terms of
enhancing the security aspect of the community; providing very important data
and thus improving the level of services at the emirate level and enhancing its
efficiency.”
“We are delighted to cooperate with Dubai Police in such a
huge project "Oyoon ", which will surely have vital and positive
effects on the Emirate of Dubai. We [as a federal entity] will be able to
contribute to the infrastructure in terms of providing technical advice on
future technologies and artificial intelligence techniques,” added Engineer
Saif bin Ghalaita, Director of the Department of Technology Development of the TRA.