The Dubai Police Protection Systems Department has begun implementing a new law, obligating residential building owners to install surveillance cameras in the buildings, according to the Deputy Director of the Department, Major Engineer Arif Mohammed Al Janahi, who indicated that there is a three-month deadline to implement the law.
| Camera content
Engineer Arif Al-Janahi said that the storage period for surveillance camera content in Dubai is the longest in the world, as it amounts to 31 days, compared to another international city, where content is stored for only seven days. He pointed out that the concerned authorities there demanded an increase in the storage period, but the approval was not made. The law is after years of discussion, unlike Dubai, which is devoid of any bureaucratic complications, and where laws are issued in a way that achieves the public interest and does not negatively affect the market and investment. |
Al-Janahi said that the administration, in coordination with the relevant authorities in Dubai, has restricted 25,000 residential buildings, subject to the standards stipulated in the new law, and the implementation process will be followed up and provided with monitoring systems within the period granted, indicating that the law preserves privacy and prohibits cameras from being connected to any building. External network.
He explained that Law 10 of 2014 in Dubai, which amends Law 24 of 2008 regarding service providers, adds a new category of buildings, which must be equipped with a surveillance camera system, as it was limited to the most sensitive commercial and tourist establishments, but in light of the continuous development in the emirate, it was issued The new law requires residential buildings to install cameras in specific areas of the building.
Al-Janahi added, “This category does not include villas and private residences, but the law is limited to shared buildings, which consist of multiple separate units, inhabited by several people or families, not a single family,” noting that the administration resorted to introducing the law in light of the recurrence of crimes and problems. In these buildings, it is difficult to track them due to the lack of monitoring systems.
He pointed out that there are standards for installing cameras, stipulated by the law, and service providers must adhere to them, as the law only cares about what meets the security purpose, by installing the least number of cameras at the building entrances for individuals, reception, and vehicle entrances.
He continued, “The administration was keen to hold meetings with a number of entities in the emirate, such as Dubai Municipality, Civil Defense, and the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), to limit the number of buildings that meet the specifications, and it reached 25 thousand residential buildings, and began communicating with their owners and those responsible for management, to inform them of the implementation mechanisms and the deadline granted.”
Al-Janahi stressed that “the presence of cameras in buildings not only represents a deterrent to thieves, but they represent a very important security system that helps detect crimes and arrest the accused.”
He pointed out that “the administration used the records of the Statistics Center and the reports received by the Dubai Police, which prompted it to propose the new law,” expecting that the crime index inside residential buildings, specifically thefts, would decrease by a large percentage after its implementation.
He stated that “the administration’s supervision of the installation of cameras in certain petrol stations helped uncover a large number of thefts, whether by employees or people from outside, especially since it resolved important cases, including the death of a woman. It was believed that there was criminal suspicion behind the incident, but “The cameras proved that she committed suicide.”
He pointed out that “the Protection Systems Administration does not oblige building owners to have a specific type of camera, but there are 650 licensed companies, and their employees have undergone courses supervised by the administration, and they have sufficient knowledge of the laws of service provision and the standards that the systems must meet.”
He explained that “the administration obliges companies to sign a maintenance contract with the owners or beneficiaries of the service, to ensure that good cameras are installed and that they do not malfunction because there is laziness on the part of some, and it turns out in some incidents that the camera does not work, so a negligence violation is imposed on the companies in such cases.” She was fined 3,000 dirhams.
Al-Janahi said, “Such measures cannot be implemented except by binding laws, because some people are stingy in spending on the security system, as long as they do not directly benefit from it,” stressing that the administration benefits from the cases and issues that occur, to add specifications and amendments to the law and executive regulations, Including placing the recording device in a safe place.
He pointed out that there are highly accurate and clear digital cameras currently on the market, and they are managed with a modern technical system that helps control the largest number easily, stressing the administration’s keenness not to violate residents’ privacy, by applying strict standards, including not connecting the cameras to any external network. It is only referred to in the event of a crime or problem.
Al-Janahi advised those wishing to install surveillance cameras in their private homes to resort only to approved entities, so that they do not turn into a tool for eavesdropping. He pointed out that the administration has resorted to implementing specific requirements for licensing companies specialized in installing cameras, which include appointing certified technicians and engineers, and subjecting them to an advanced course provided by the company. British for the administration at the Dubai Police Academy.
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