Photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

Dubai Police on Sunday launched e-crime reporting platform’s smartphone service. This comes after the e-crime platform handled more than 14, 000 cyber cases.

The qualitative gesture paces with implementing guidelines for transition to a smart government and promoting public access to all services in an easy and smooth manner in the field of filing complaints on cybercrime.

It also substantiates Dubai Police’s strategic goal of maintaining a safe society. The announcement was made during a press conference convened by the Criminal Investigations Department’s director.

The director Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jallaf said, “The transformation of the eCrime platform launched in May 2018 into a smartphone application reflects Dubai Police’s keenness to keep pace with latest technology.”

He underlined, “This serves members of the public and enhances their sense of security and safety, and also preserves their rights through services that satisfy them and bring them happiness.”

He pointed out that the platform had so far handled 14, 132 cases since its launch in 2018. The cases ranged from technical transactions, information transactions, legal procedures and reports of electronic attacks.

“These included 9,390 complaints from males, 4,742 from females. 312 complaints were from youngsters under the age of 18. Before the platform’s launch, only 1,694 complaints about online crimes were registered.

“The platform handles cases with privacy and confidentiality and provides its services to all members of the community, institutions and government departments and federal bodies,” Brigadier Al Jallaf noted.

On his part, the Director of the General Department of Artificial Intelligence Brigadier Khalid Nasser Al Razouqi said the 24-hour service is available on Apple Store and Google Play Store through Dubai Police account.

“Steps of filing a report via the smart service have been reduced from seven to three, namely; registration of personal data, reception of text message to confirm contact number and submitting the complaint details.”

He said that the hassle-free service is rendered in seven languages. He explained that if complainants encounter any difficulty navigating their way on the application, they can use the help of virtual assistant ‘Amna.’

“One can press on the image of ‘Amna’ after opening the application and provide her voice commands requesting the services one needs,” elucidated Al Razouqi.