Dubai: People may be allowed to film or to take photos for traffic accidents, traffic violations or any wrongdoing that may affect public safety and to send it to police, said senior police official.

Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Acting Chief of Dubai Police said on Thursday that Dubai Police is studying a suggestion which will allow people to send in photos and video clips of those who breaking traffic rules or committing any wrongdoing on main roads that may affect public safety. However, they are not allowed to put the videos on the web to defame others.

“We are working on implementing this suggestions as per the directions of Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Commender-in-Chief of Dubai Police,” said Major General Al Mazeina.

He said this step is in line with Dubai Police’s keenness to cooperate and communicate with the public on all levels.

Major General Al Mazeina said authorised expatriate and Emiratis will be allowed to take such videos and send them to the Dubai Police operation room.

“People will not be allowed to publish such kind of videos or pictures in any means of media other than sending them to the police operation room, which will allow police to take the required action against the offenders,” he said.

The announcement came after a man was arrested for posting to YouTube a video clip of an Emirati UAE government official apparently assaulting an Indian driver after a traffic incident in Dubai.

According to police, the Indian man who posted the video is in police custody since Tuesday night.

Police said that the man who took the video and then posted it on his own account on youtube is a 22-year-old business management graduate.

The suspect, identified as S.R.A., is in police custody at Al Qusais police station following his arrest on Tuesday night. The Criminal and Investigation Department of Dubai police (CID) called his father on Tuesday morning ordering him to bring his son to them after Iftar because of the video.

Police said S.R.A., who was born and brought up in Dubai, left the country recently and came back on a visit visa to search for a job.

Police said S.R.A., is staying with his parents in Al Qusais area while his elder brother lives and work in Dubai.

YouTube management emailed S.R.A., who posted the video using his own name, on Tuesday morning asking him to remove that specific video immediately. S.R.A. removed it some 12 hours after he posted it.

S.R.A., told police that he never expected that the video would have such impact and that he never meant to create any trouble to anyone. He admitted it was foolish behaviour on his part.

Public prosecution refused to grant him bail.

The son of the Emirati official seen in the video lodged a complaint against S.R.A. with Dubai Police, accusing him of defaming his father.