Saudi security sectors have intensified their work to enforce curfew and to respond to distress calls amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
The National Center for Security Operations (NCSO), which is directly linked to the Ministry of Interior, supervises the security situation in the Kingdom, and monitors reports coming from the different Saudi regions.
The Center’s chief, Major General Abdul Rahman al-Saleh, said that since the national curfew entered into force, the 911 Operations Center received more than 100,000 calls for reports and inquiries.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, al-Saleh noted that the center coordinates with 13 joint operations rooms to follow-up on the security situation across the Kingdom.
“Upon the receipt of a distress call by land, sea or air, the center coordinates with the various relevant authorities to provide an immediate response,” he underlined.
The center gathers liaison officers from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of National Guards and the Presidency of State Security, and has 26 hotlines linking all relevant authorities together.
In addition, the NCSO also coordinates with the Interior ministers of the GCC States, especially with regards to cross-border traffic incidents.
With the outbreak of COVID-19, the center is monitoring the implementation of the curfew, al-Saleh noted, stressing that the Saudi cities and regions were under TV surveillance to prevent any breach and to verify movement permits.
On the other hand, the Saudi official highlighted a decrease in traffic accidents and thefts, with people staying at home as part of the lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
