Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority have launched a formal public-engagement process on the potential use of Live Facial Recognition technology, publishing information materials and hosting an online survey through the SPA’s Citizens Space platform. The initiative marks the beginning of a structured evidence-building phase that will inform any future deployment decisions.
Police Scotland has explicitly characterized the process as an ongoing public conversation rather than a formal consultation, stating on its news page that the current stage is not yet the final consultation phase. The distinction matters procedurally: the engagement is designed to gather views and build the evidence base that would feed into a subsequent business-case assessment and governance review before any operational rollout could be authorized.
The process situates Scotland within a broader debate that has unfolded differently across the United Kingdom. Police Scotland’s careful, staged approach contrasts with the more accelerated deployment pace seen in England, where the UK expanded its live facial recognition fleet with 40 new vans backed by Home Office funding of £115 million for AI-enabled policing. Scotland is charting a distinct path, treating public engagement and accountability review as prerequisites rather than post-hoc steps.
The political context in Scotland has shaped the pace of this process. Scotland’s SNP passed a resolution opposing police LFR in October 2025, creating a significant political headwind and reinforcing Police Scotland’s decision to pursue extensive public engagement before advancing further. The resolution did not carry statutory force, but it has kept the governance question prominent.
Scotland is not alone among UK home nations in approaching LFR cautiously. Northern Ireland Police’s assessment of live facial recognition capability similarly involves structured review before operational use, reflecting a shared preference among devolved police services for accountability-first governance frameworks.
The Citizens Space survey through the Scottish Police Authority collects public views on potential police use of the technology, covering concerns about civil liberties, operational need, and governance safeguards. Responses will contribute to the evidence base Police Scotland has indicated it will require before any formal consultation or deployment proposal is advanced.
The outcome of this engagement phase is not predetermined. Police Scotland’s framing emphasizes genuine deliberation, and the process timeline for moving from public conversation to formal consultation has not been specified.
Sources: Police Scotland, Scottish Police Authority Citizens Space
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
