MUSCAT: The Royal Oman Police (ROP) has affirmed its unwavering commitment to adopting the latest technologies and digital systems to enhance the efficiency of police work and upgrade the quality of security services, in light of the rapid transformations the world is witnessing in the fields of technology and innovation.
The ROP Artificial Intelligence and Future Technologies Centre is one of the most prominent of these pioneering initiatives. It embodies a strategic vision that anticipates the future and leverages the capabilities of artificial intelligence to analyse and develop data and provide innovative solutions that enhance security and public service.
Colonel Hilal bin Mohammed al Harrasi, Director-General of Planning and Development at the Royal Oman Police, said that the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence and Future Technologies Centre reflects the directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Supreme Commander who emphasised the importance of focusing on artificial intelligence technologies to improve productivity and efficiency across a wide range of sectors. He also stressed the need to utilise AI technologies and to expedite the development of legislation that will make these technologies a key enabler and driver for this sector.
Colonel Al Harrasi added, “The Royal Oman Police General Command is committed to adopting the latest global technological trends across all fields. Artificial intelligence is the cornerstone of future technological approaches aimed at enhancing innovation, efficiency and productivity.” He pointed out that the centre will bolster the Royal Oman Police’s digital transformation by developing plans, programmes, and strategies related to artificial intelligence and future technologies as well as monitoring their implementation.
Al Harrasi explained that the centre aims to develop strategies and anticipate future trends in artificial intelligence, in addition to identifying gaps and risks in the current situation and building operational models that ensure the integration of artificial intelligence technologies with existing security systems after a comprehensive evaluation of their technical, operational and security aspects. The centre also aims to govern the use of artificial intelligence and establish the ethical and legal frameworks regulating it.
He noted that the centre operates as a key component of the ROP’s technological infrastructure, enabling all units to adopt artificial intelligence solutions and future technologies, thus solidifying the ROP’s leadership in this field. He explained that the adoption of any new technology is subject to a rigorous security and operational evaluation with the current focus on big data processing technologies and the automation of analytical tasks.
Regarding the application of these technologies in police work, Colonel Al Harrasi said: “The Artificial Intelligence and Future Technologies Centre aims to enhance the ROP’s capabilities in using artificial intelligence applications for data analysis and future forecasting. This will contribute to faster and more accurate decision-making as well as support a proactive approach when dealing with any situation or event.” He added: “Artificial intelligence applications will bring about a qualitative leap in the quality of electronic services provided to citizens and residents by improving user experience, expediting service access procedures, and gradually shifting from traditional electronic services to proactive services. This will allow for predicting the services users need before they actually request them.” The Director-General of Planning and Development underscored the ROP’s commitment to data protection through the application of the highest standards of governance and privacy, and by monitoring compliance with policies regulating data use through the Artificial Intelligence and Future Technologies Centre and the Cyber Security Centre.
Colonel Al Harrasi noted that the Artificial Intelligence and Future Technologies Centre is working on building strategic partnerships with universities, governmental, private and international institutions with the aim of exchanging knowledge, adopting research initiatives and enhancing police capabilities in the fields of artificial intelligence and future technologies.
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