UAE police to launch 999 emergency text message

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: UAE police to launch 999 emergency text message Residents in the UAE can now contact the emergency services without even dialling a number. A new service will provide support, especially for special needs residents, as part of a Dubai Police initiative. “It’s a free service and can be used for emergencies by just sending text messages to 999 from any place in the UAE and we can locate the person and provide help and support,” said Brigadier Kamal Butti Al Suwaidi, Director of the Operations Department at Dubai Police. “It’s part of our responsibility to society, especially for people with special needs and the elderly.” Another service is a 3D map of Dubai, which will have a variety of uses for police officers. “It will cut time and effort and can be use from any browser,” Al Suwaidi said. “The 3D maps system can be useful in traffic accidents and estimate police response times to emergency calls.” The 3D system can also provide data and statistics for traffic accidents, he said. Al Suwaidi also revealed details of a project to identify wanted and stolen vehicles using cameras. The new radar can work at night and record video 24 hours a day, as well as being able to read plate numbers on vehicles travelling at speeds as high as 220kph. Al Suwaidi said: “The system can search for wanted vehicles by plate number, colour or model and send the data to Dubai Police CPU unit.” He said there will be 70 cameras on the Dubai roads, to be activated in June. “We want to have a perfect command room to deal with any incident in Dubai and make sure our response times become even faster,” he said. ali.shouk@7days.ae Read the original story at: UAE police to launch 999 emergency text message