The robotic cop stood to attention Wednesday night at the foot of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, as tourists and passersby snapped selfie souvenir photos by its side.
Wearing a police cap and moving on wheels, the robot features a computer touch-screen on its chest that can be used to report a crime or inquire about speeding tickets.
“Our aim is to raise the number of robots to 25 percent of the police force by 2030,” said Brigadier Khaled al-Razzooqi, head of Smart Services at Dubai police.
The robot, to be deployed mainly at tourist spots, is equipped with a camera that transmits live images to the operations room and it can identify suspects wanted by police.
The main purpose is to “find a new way to deal with people”, said Razzooqi, while acknowledging that robots could not replace humans on tasks such as making arrests.
Police in Dubai, a growing tourism hub which attracted nearly 15 million visitors last year, have previously attracted media attention by parading expensive luxury cars as patrol vehicles.