With three quarters of emergency calls in Dubai historically unrelated to actual emergencies, authorities are urging residents to learn the difference between 999 and 901 before they ever need to make that call.
Somewhere in Dubai’s emergency call centre last year, an operator picked up a 999 call. On the other end of the line was an elderly man, not in danger, not in distress, simply lonely. He wanted police officers to come over for lunch. It sounds like an outlier, but it is not. Dubai Police have reported that 75 percent of the calls received annually on UAE Emergency Numbers 999+901 are not emergencies. This highlights the scale of non-emergency use.
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This is exactly why September 9th exists.
UAE Emergency Number Day
On 9th September 2026, the UAE marked its annual Emergency Number Day. The Ministry of Interior launched a nationwide awareness campaign in cooperation with Dubai Police and police headquarters across the country. Moreover, it carries a straightforward but important message: 999 is for emergencies, and 901 is for everything else.
Brigadier General Abdul Aziz Al-Ahmad, Director of Central Operations at the Ministry of Interior, described the campaign. Moreover, it aims to build a sustainable culture of responsible emergency number use across the community. The slogan, he said, is not just a tagline. In a genuine emergency, the speed of response can directly determine whether lives are saved. The campaign is being delivered in multiple languages. It reaches all segments of the UAE’s diverse resident population.
When should you call 999?
The 999 line exists for situations requiring immediate police intervention. Additionally, threats to life, safety, or property that cannot wait cannot be handled through any other channel. When you call, authorities ask that you stay calm. Provide three things as clearly and quickly as possible: your precise location. Describe what has happened, and give any additional details that help emergency teams deploy the appropriate response. Remaining on the line and cooperating with the operator is important.
This allows the operations room to assess the situation in real time and decide what resources to send. What should never go through 999 is directions, traffic fine enquiries, or questions about services. Anything that is not an active emergency requiring an immediate police response should not go through 999.
When should you call 901?
Dubai Police established the 901 non-emergency hotline to handle non-urgent police calls. Additionally, it handles calls that are genuinely police-related but do not require an urgent response. Moreover, the service operates around the clock. Furthermore, it provides 33 distinct services across several categories.
For criminal matters, 901 handles requests for assistance. Additionally, it also processes reports of bounced cheques, refusal of payment reports, bail-related requests and enquiries about found property. For traffic, residents can use 901 to report minor accidents without injuries. They can also report accidents with unknown parties, replace lost accident reports, and enquire about traffic fines. They can obtain copies of violation documents and request traffic fine instalments. A range of certificates can also be requested through 901, including criminal status certificates and traffic status certificates. It also covers permits, including night work permits, burial and body repatriation permits, and inmate visit requests.
Additionally, it includes community support services such as labour complaints and home security requests. It also supports victims of human trafficking. At the start of 2026 alone, Dubai Police’s 901 Contact Centre had already received 274,251 calls, demonstrating how actively residents are using the service when they know it exists.
Why the distinction matters more than it seems?
The consequences of misusing 999 are not abstract. Each non-emergency call to the emergency line uses operator time and adds pressure on the system, and in a worst case, delays the response to someone in danger. Brigadier Turki Abdulrahman bin Faris, Director of the General Department of Operations at Dubai Police, puts it plainly. Public cooperation begins with using 999 exclusively for emergencies and directing everything else to 901. That habit, practiced across millions, keeps emergency lines available for moments that define whether help arrives in time.
The rule itself takes about five seconds to learn: 999 for emergencies, 901 for everything else. Every second makes a difference, and knowing which number to call before you need it is the simplest way to ensure that is true.
