emirates7 -
-Digital Twin allows investigators to experience the crime scene, to reconstruct events with precision and even to predict sequence of events
Dubai Police can now digitally recrime scenes and walk through them, marking a major leap in smart criminal investigations. This technology, known as Digital Twin, allows investigators to really experience the crime scene, to reconstruct events with precision and even to predict sequence of events.
Officers can return to the crime scene digitally at any time, review evidence in detail, and test different scenarios without physically revisiting the location.
The police shared two examples of difficult cases that were solved using Digital Twin, which uses virtual reality and highly detailed three dimensional (3D) models to aid investigations.
Suicide or hit-and-run?
Recently, the police used this method to investigate the death of a delivery driver. Initial reports suggested that he had committed suicide by jumping off a bridge.
However, after applying the Digital Twin reconstruction and analysing the data, investigators discovered that the motorcycle had been struck from behind by another vehicle. This caused him to fall off his motorcycle and down off the bridge, leaving the vehicle behind. The driver who struck the motorcycle fled the scene.
The case was then reclassified as a hit-and-run crime rather than a suicide.
Case of the basement collapse
In another case involving the partial collapse of a parking basement, the Digital Twin technology provided clear scientific answers as to the cause.
The reinforced concrete elements were found to have been exposed to repeated water leakage over time, which affected the structure. Advanced modelling and load simulation was used and investigators identified changes in the thermal expansion and contraction of the water-saturated concrete.
This led to uneven stress distribution in the supporting columns and accelerated structural deterioration, ultimately resulting in the collapse.
How Digital Twin works
The Digital Twin operates through three key stages:
Full digital documentation of the crime scene.
Data enhancement and refinement.
Advanced analysis that produces intelligent outputs.
The system combines 3D scanning, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to reconstruct complex incidents. It is also designed to integrate seamlessly with command and control platforms.
At the heart of the system is its ability to connect all physical traces into one comprehensive analytical model. The interactive models are transparent, auditable and support data driven decision making.
The technology has led to faster analysis, stronger evidence verification, and greater confidence in forensic findings presented before the courts.
Safer city
Brigadier Engineer Senior Expert Rashid Ahmed Lootah, Acting Director of the General Department of Forensic Evidence and Criminology, said that investing in such technology is essential to supporting a safer city.
Lieutenant Colonel Expert Dr Engineer Mohammad Ali Al Qasim, Head of the Forensic Engineering Section at the Department of Specialised Forensic Evidence, explained that the system has fundamentally changed how crime scenes are analysed. It has reduced margins of error, accelerated forensic work, and improved the accuracy of event reconstruction.
Engineer Expert Amna Al Mazmi, Project Manager of the Digital Twin initiative, revealed that the system has already helped clarify nearly 85 incidents.
The project has earned prestigious recognition. It received a 7-star rating and was named Best Innovative Project at the International Best Practices Competition IBPC 2025. It also won the UAE Ideas Award 2025 in the Smart Government and Digital Transformation category.
-Digital Twin allows investigators to experience the crime scene, to reconstruct events with precision and even to predict sequence of events
Dubai Police can now digitally recrime scenes and walk through them, marking a major leap in smart criminal investigations. This technology, known as Digital Twin, allows investigators to really experience the crime scene, to reconstruct events with precision and even to predict sequence of events.
Officers can return to the crime scene digitally at any time, review evidence in detail, and test different scenarios without physically revisiting the location.
The police shared two examples of difficult cases that were solved using Digital Twin, which uses virtual reality and highly detailed three dimensional (3D) models to aid investigations.
Suicide or hit-and-run?
Recently, the police used this method to investigate the death of a delivery driver. Initial reports suggested that he had committed suicide by jumping off a bridge.
However, after applying the Digital Twin reconstruction and analysing the data, investigators discovered that the motorcycle had been struck from behind by another vehicle. This caused him to fall off his motorcycle and down off the bridge, leaving the vehicle behind. The driver who struck the motorcycle fled the scene.
The case was then reclassified as a hit-and-run crime rather than a suicide.
Case of the basement collapse
In another case involving the partial collapse of a parking basement, the Digital Twin technology provided clear scientific answers as to the cause.
The reinforced concrete elements were found to have been exposed to repeated water leakage over time, which affected the structure. Advanced modelling and load simulation was used and investigators identified changes in the thermal expansion and contraction of the water-saturated concrete.
This led to uneven stress distribution in the supporting columns and accelerated structural deterioration, ultimately resulting in the collapse.
How Digital Twin works
The Digital Twin operates through three key stages:
Full digital documentation of the crime scene.
Data enhancement and refinement.
Advanced analysis that produces intelligent outputs.
The system combines 3D scanning, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to reconstruct complex incidents. It is also designed to integrate seamlessly with command and control platforms.
At the heart of the system is its ability to connect all physical traces into one comprehensive analytical model. The interactive models are transparent, auditable and support data driven decision making.
The technology has led to faster analysis, stronger evidence verification, and greater confidence in forensic findings presented before the courts.
Safer city
Brigadier Engineer Senior Expert Rashid Ahmed Lootah, Acting Director of the General Department of Forensic Evidence and Criminology, said that investing in such technology is essential to supporting a safer city.
Lieutenant Colonel Expert Dr Engineer Mohammad Ali Al Qasim, Head of the Forensic Engineering Section at the Department of Specialised Forensic Evidence, explained that the system has fundamentally changed how crime scenes are analysed. It has reduced margins of error, accelerated forensic work, and improved the accuracy of event reconstruction.
Engineer Expert Amna Al Mazmi, Project Manager of the Digital Twin initiative, revealed that the system has already helped clarify nearly 85 incidents.
The project has earned prestigious recognition. It received a 7-star rating and was named Best Innovative Project at the International Best Practices Competition IBPC 2025. It also won the UAE Ideas Award 2025 in the Smart Government and Digital Transformation category.
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