Brigadier Ashraf Galal, head of the Interior Ministry's air police department, said on Tuesday that the first air police plane will be flying over Cairo during the day to monitor traffic.

The department, according to Galal, was recently established as part of the efforts to develop security performance.

Last week, the ministry wrote in a post to its Facebook page that the first air police patrols will be seen in Egypt's skies before 25 January.

The pilots will be air force staff brigadiers, accompanied by policemen who will monitor the traffic on Cairo's streets. Four helicopters equipped with communication and photographing tools will send images to the department’s main operations chamber.

Additional helicopters will soon be operated, in collaboration with the Armed Forces.

In addition to traffic, the department will work on several security issues, including drug dealing, border smuggling and agricultural encroachment, as well as securing businesses, tourist groups, football matches, state properties and bodies of water, and dealing with disasters such as fires.

Galal reiterated the necessity of the department, as there are many areas that are difficult to access simply with vehicles.

Edited translation from MENA