Police have recorded a slight dip in the annual crime rate in Ajman in 2016 compared to the year before and are adopting a crime prevention strategy for 2017, said senior police officers at a press conference on Thursday.

Major General Shaikh Sultan Bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Commander-in-Chief of Ajman Police, said 7,432 crimes took place in 2016 compared to 7,560 in 2015. Serious crimes of murder, robbery, assault dropped to 601 in 2016 compared to 681 similar cases in 2015.

Major General Al Nuaimi said the police have drawn up a plan for early crime prevention, including an intense awareness campaign to spread the culture of respecting the law.

Also, patrolling has been increased and intensified on roads and in crime-prone areas.

Major General Al Nuaimi said that Ajman Police employed 60 new police officers during the current year who are working in 30 new security patrols “Aman” which will be deployed in residential neighbourhoods, commercial and industrial areas, round the clock.

The new members will attend specialised training courses to combat crime, learn about preservation of the crime scene etc.

The new patrols will deploy on the roads by March 1.

Major General Al Nuaimi said the emirate will activate around 500 surveillance cameras by the end of February to monitor Ajman roads and vital places.

The new plan in 2017 is to cover Masfout and Al Manama areas with surveillance cameras and it will be completed by the end of this year.

Major General Al Nuaimi said that current surveillance cameras helped police discover 35 crimes, most of them in banks.

“A quick intervention team reached the scene of the incidents and arrested the suspects.

He pointed out that if police teams are far from the crime site, then we inspect the camera which help us to reach the suspect and arrest them.”

The number of fatalities from traffic accidents decreased to 18 deaths in 2016 compared to 19 in 2015.

Ajman Police are focusing on reducing traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries and not on fining motorists, Major-General Al Nuaimi said.

He said Ajman Municipality played great role in reducing the run over accidents as they installed fences on the main roads.

Ajman police will also activate the role of Al Mina police station during this year by launching its first police marine patrol. The size of the patrol will be bigger and the boat will be equipped with high-tech devices in addition to a jet ski.

It will patrol the port, Al Khor area and waterfront and monitor the area to prevent garbage dumping, illegal dumping of diesel and illegal fishing

The patrol will be launched within one month, he said

source : gulfnews