British Biometric Pub Security Effort Gets Extra Funding

The Southampton Business Crime Partnership (SBCP), managed by GO! Southampton, has secured ongoing funding for facial recognition technology and additional funds to fight crime in the city center. GO! Southampton is the Business Improvement District for the area, aiming to enhance the city’s business environment through various initiatives.

The upkeep isn’t terribly expensive as far as municipal budgets go. An extra £2,243 will extend the facial recognition program after a successful three-month trial across seven venues.

The system is meant to keep bars and nightclubs safe and secure. Launched toward the end of 2023 by the BID, security firm Synergy Security, and local businesses, the trial used Reveal body-worn cameras with facial recognition to identify banned offenders more efficiently. These cameras alert door staff if an excluded individual attempts entry, supported by Reveal’s digital evidence management system, DEMS 360, used by around 70 percent of UK police forces.

Offenders are identified through the Red Card scheme, which enforces a ‘banned from one, banned from all’ policy across Southampton’s Licensing Link premises. Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Donna Jones, provided the funding boost. The funding is part of a broader £32,793 awarded to various city projects, including an additional £15,000 for extra GO! Southampton security patrols.

“We’d like to personally thank PCC Donna Jones, who has supported the facial recognition trial that the Southampton Business Crime Partnership rolled out last year,” said GO! Southampton Operations Manager Jade McCauley. “We are dedicated to ensuring Southampton’s record for being a safe and fun night out continues.”

Southampton also retained the Purple Flag award for its evening and night-time economy earlier this year. The award, organized by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM), recognizes cities and towns that ensure their centers are safe, diverse, vibrant, and well-managed.

Donna Jones highlighted the impact of anti-social behavior on communities, noting that additional funding for “diversionary activities and projects” aims to address and challenge these issues from the outset.

Source: Hampshire Biz News

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July 19, 2024 – by Ali Nassar-Smith