Dubai police use next-generation video surveillance biometrics to solve 3,000 crimes

The program monitors the distinct way in which a person walks, as well as their physical motions and body structure.

The Dubai Police's Video-Based Multiple Biometrics System has been increasingly gaining attention as a cutting-edge technology in the field of forensic science. The system, which was developed by Dubai Police's electronic forensics department, is a powerful tool that helps identify individuals in any type of video evidence available, such as CCTV footage, social media videos, or other digital assets. The chief of the forensic video and image division, Lieutenant Colonel Dr Hamad Al Awar, stated that the system was used in over 3,000 cases in 2022 alone, indicating its usefulness in helping law enforcement agencies solve crimes.

The Video-Based Multiple Biometrics System utilizes various biometric techniques, such as gait patterns, facial prints, ear shapes, hand shapes, and body measurements, to identify suspects. According to Lieutenant Colonel Dr Hamad Al Awar, the Dubai Police had to develop other biometrics to improve the system's accuracy. The development of these biometrics was done in-house since the technology was not available in the market.

The system's accuracy and efficiency have been particularly helpful during the pandemic in identifying criminals, given the widespread use of videos and CCTV. Dubai Police's Department of Forensics and Criminology was able to develop a system that closed the gap between DNA and video evidence, making it easier to identify suspects through the use of physical biometrics.

Furthermore, Dubai Police may soon utilize genome forensics on the ground, as announced at the World Police Summit in Dubai. The Genome Project at Dubai Police is based on a Ph.D. study undertaken by Major Mohammed Al Marri in 2020, which aimed to isolate and identify Middle Eastern genetic variants. First Lieutenant Mohammed Khalid Al Rahma, a biology and DNA expert at the Dubai Police Department of Forensics and Criminology, stated that the study enabled the utilization of the data to identify characteristics of suspects through the DNA collected at a crime scene. The study identified 5 million genetic variants specific to the Middle East region, which enabled forensic investigators to narrow down the suspect pool significantly by identifying traits, ethnicity, and origin of the suspect.

In summary, Dubai Police's Video-Based Multiple Biometrics System and Genome Project are powerful tools in forensic science that have been developed in-house to enhance law enforcement agencies' capabilities in identifying suspects and solving crimes. These technologies have proven to be useful in improving the accuracy and efficiency of forensic investigations and may have far-reaching implications in the future of forensic science.