After introducing Ferraris and Lamborghinis into their fleet of patrol cars, the Dubai police force has started to upgrade its rank and file officers.
The world’s first autonomous police robot has been stationed outside the Burj Khalifa — the world’s tallest building at more than 828m — and there are plans for the droids to make up a quarter of the force by 2030.
The robot droid, below, wears a police cap, moves on wheels and can salute. It features a mask-like face and computer touchscreen on its chest that can be used to inquire about speeding tickets or report a crime. Outside the tower this week there was little to do other than pose for selfies with passers-by.
Brigadier Khaled al-Razzooqi, the head of smart services at Dubai police, hopes the droid force will help cut down the number of days lost to illness or maternity leave. The robo-cop is equipped with a camera that transmits live images to an operations room, helping to identify suspects wanted by police. The main purpose was to “find a new way to deal with people”, Mr Razzooqi said, while acknowledging that humans would still be needed for tasks such as arrests.
The robots are expected to be deployed mainly at tourist spots and are part of a wider project by the United Arab Emirates to create a “smart” police force as it copes with rising numbers of visitors.
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Dubai is fast becoming one of the region’s most popular destinations, attracting nearly 15 million visitors last year, just behind Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Mr Razzooqi said they were building a futuristic security system. “We are looking to make everything smart in Dubai police. By 2030, we will have the first smart police station which won’t require human employees,” he told Gulf News.
The UAE is thought to have one of the world’s lowest crime rates, probably due in part to the implementation of Sharia.
China is believed to have introduced the world’s first armed police robot last year at an airport. The Anbot is armed with a Taser but it is operated by a control room officer.