Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell has said any proposal to use live facial recognition would need a clear business case and consideration through the Scottish Police Authority’s governance processes, as the force examines its potential applications.
Farrell discussed the technology with Justice Secretary Neil Gray at an August 20 meeting whose minutes were released this week. The discussion included whether facial recognition could help address football-related disorder, following recommendations from Scotland’s police inspectorate.
Gray invited Farrell’s views on comments by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland, or HMICS, about the technology. Farrell pointed to its use by police forces elsewhere in the United Kingdom and described benefits in identifying high-risk individuals and supporting public safety.
She also acknowledged ethical considerations and Scotland’s public discussion of possible use. Farrell said Police Scotland was giving the issue active consideration, with any proposal subject to the business-case and governance requirements.
Live facial recognition compares faces captured by cameras with images on a watchlist in real time. The meeting concerned potential use and the process for considering a proposal, rather than approval of an operational rollout.
The inspectorate previously recommended facial recognition to enforce football banning orders. Its annual report called for stronger measures to keep banned individuals out of matches and suggested government action if football’s governing bodies did not implement an appropriate regime.
That recommendation followed disorder at the March Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox. Farrell and Gray also discussed work with the Scottish Football Association and Scottish Professional Football League, including the role clubs should play in improving safety and behavior at matches.
Oversight remains part of the wider policy discussion. Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Brian Plastow has called for primary legislation governing live facial recognition, while supporting proportionate use under a defined legal framework. His latest annual report distinguished Police Scotland’s position from UK policing bodies operating in Scotland outside his statutory remit.
The commissioner’s remit covers Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner. Farrell’s stated conditions place any future Police Scotland proposal within the authority’s governance process, alongside the requirement to establish a clear operational business case.
Sources: Scottish Government
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
