Smart watch for Abu Dhabi police will monitor health and crime

The smart watch and mobile phone app, called Smart Police Officer, will also monitor the health of officers while they undertake their duties.

Khadijah Primary School pupils enjoy road sense lessons during Gulf Traffic Week at Yas Mall. Antonie Robertson / The National
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ABU DHABI // Police officers are to be equipped with a high-tech system that allows them to determine where most motorists commit offences.

The smartwatch and mobile phone app, called Smart Police Officer, will also monitor the health of officers as they perform their duties.

Brig Hussain Al Harthi, director general of central operations at Abu Dhabi Police, said the system should be in place by the end of this month.

With it, police can analyse data about the location, type and number of offences each officer hands out to motorists.

“The system will allow us to analyse the whole thing and we can take countermeasures accordingly,” Brig Al Harthi said.

“Our main thrust is to improve safety and reach the highest level of efficiency in our decision-making.”

The system, which monitors the wearer’s blood pressure, general health and location while on duty, would also help develop officers’ performance and measure their productivity, he said.

Brig Al Harthi revealed details of the app at Gulf Traffic Week in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

The event, which this year carries the slogan “Your Decision Determines Your Fate”, began with a ceremony recognising the good work of traffic officers and behaviour of outstanding drivers.

But there were also videos of car crashes – caused by drivers using mobile phones, speeding and running red lights – to highlight the dangers still faced on the roads.

Inside the event were information booths and exhibits to highlight road awareness.

Graphic design students from Emirates College of Technology put together an exhibition of road safety posters, highlighting some of the most frequent driving habits that caused dangers on the roads.

“These include texting while driving, running red lights, under-age driving, and speeding,” said Dr Ryadh Ben Amor, head of graphic design and animation at the college.

The number of road deaths in Abu Dhabi fell by 8 per cent last year, down to 245 deaths from 267 in 2014.

The number of traffic accidents fell by 3 per cent, from 1,864 to 1,803.

Countrywide, the number of road deaths dropped by 5.2 per cent to 675 last year, from 712 in 2014, said Brig Gaith Al Zaabi, director general of traffic coordination at the Ministry of Interior.

rruiz@thenational.ae