Live facial recognition pilot leads to 100 arrests in first few months
More than 100 wanted criminals were arrested in the first few months of the pilot program, which saw live facial recognition (LFR) cameras mounted on street furniture.
Since October, LFR cameras have been installed on structures in Croydon and their feeds can be monitored remotely, allowing officers to carry out engagements without a van.
The Metropolitan Police said the pilot had led to 103 arrests so far, a third of which were for violent crimes against women and girls.
Among those arrested was a woman who had been on the run for more than 20 years and was wanted for failing to appear in court for a 2004 attack; a man wanted on suspicion of kidnapping; and a sex offender suspected of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Since the start of 2024, the Met has removed more than 1,700 criminals from the streets of London using the LFR.
Police praised its “impact and success” but the technology came under criticism last year when the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) described the Met Police’s policy on the use of live facial recognition technology as “unlawful”.
The equality watchdog said rules and safeguards around Britain’s largest police force’s use of the technology “fell inadequate” and could have a “chilling effect” on individuals’ rights when used at protests.
In response, the force argued that its use was “both lawful and proportionate, playing an important role in keeping Londoners safe”.
Campaign organizations also objected to the technology; civil liberties group Big Brother Watch claimed that “facial recognition surveillance” had turned the country into “an open prison”.
In December, ministers, seeking to increase police use of facial recognition in the fight against crime, launched a 10-week consultation to seek views on how the technology should be regulated and how people’s privacy should be protected.
The government is also proposing to create a regulator to oversee police use of facial recognition, biometrics and other tools, and is gathering views on what powers that regulator should have.
Lindsey Chiswick, national lead for the Met and LFR, said: “The increase in LFR deployments in London crime hotspots is driven by its proven effectiveness and success – since the start of 2024, more than 1,700 dangerous criminals have been removed from London’s streets, including those wanted for rape and child abuse.
“That’s why we’re running a new and innovative pilot trial in Croydon. This allows us to explore a different way to use facial recognition by operating it remotely and more efficiently.”
“The amount of arrests we have made in just 13 deployments shows that the technology is already making an impact and helping to make Croydon safer. Public support remains strong, with 85 per cent of Londoners supporting the use of LFR to keep them safe.”
According to the Met, LFR cameras in Croydon are only activated when officers are present and conducting a deployment.
Police said Croydon was chosen because it was a “crime hotspot” and there were currently no plans to expand the scheme to other areas.
LFR deployments in Croydon since the start of 2024 have resulted in 249 arrests, of which 193 will be charged or cautioned.
In November, a new fleet of LFR vans was launched under an expanded pilot program by police forces in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley and Hampshire, joining the Met, South Wales Police and Essex Police in their use.
The Home Office spent £6.6 million assessing and adopting technology last year; this includes £3.9 million to create a national face matching service.
