DUBAI // Arrest and search warrants will soon be obtained electronically, cutting down on red tape and removing the need for paper reports, the emirate’s attorney general told Gitex on Tuesday.
Essam Al Humaidan said that a trial period for smart warrants will focus on cases of drug use, in coordination with the Dubai Police’s anti-narcotic department, before being rolled out to cover all offences.
“We needed to start with a type of case that is large in number but we will only be dealing with one section, in this case the anti-narcotic department,” said prosecutor general Khalifa bin Deemas.
He added that the move towards smart technology will help save time and effort. “Sometimes warrants must be issued as quickly as possible so we can preserve the crime scene this technology will help do that,” said Mr bin Deemas.
Mr Al Humaidan said that the technology will save time because it involves an area where prosecutors and police work together daily.
“Now the officer can send electronically through his smart phone or laptop, and the prosecutor will receive it the same way and be able to answer it instantly by adding his smart signature,” said the attorney general, who added that the technology is a secure method to transfer classified information and a good means of eradicating mistakes.
Meanwhile, the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department said on Tuesday that all its criminal cases will be recorded electronically. The department said it had been archiving cases for three years and now 90 per cent of them are stored in the electronic system.
salamir@thenational.ae