Police Use of Facial Recognition Expands to Another UK County

For the first time, police in Hampshire, United Kingdom, will use facial recognition technology, deploying it across four locations: Portsmouth, Southampton, Basingstoke, and Winchester.

The live facial recognition system will capture video footage of people passing by and compare the images to a watchlist of individuals wanted for “priority offences.” If a match is identified, the system will alert the authorities, who will then engage with the individual to decide on any necessary action.

Hampshire is a county in southern England, known for its cities like Southampton and Portsmouth. It is bordered by Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey, and West Sussex, and includes the Isle of Wight.

The three-day trial will run from September 10 to 12, during which clearly marked vans equipped with the technology will be stationed in these areas.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary stated that any images that do not result in a match will be automatically deleted, with no personal data retained. Officers will also be available to answer questions from the public regarding the use of the technology.

The pilot is intended to assist law enforcement in identifying and locating individuals involved in serious crimes, while addressing privacy concerns through the immediate deletion of non-matching data.

Hampshire’s use of facial recognition technology fits into a broader trend across the UK, where police forces are increasingly adopting live facial recognition systems. Police forces such as those in Essex and North Wales have already implemented similar technologies successfully, often leading to arrests during events like public gatherings.

The primary goal is to quickly identify suspects or individuals under court orders, leveraging a database of wanted persons to make real-time matches.

However, this growing trend has also attracted significant scrutiny. Civil liberties groups have raised concerns about privacy, potential racial bias, and the lack of consistent legal frameworks guiding the deployment of LFR. Despite this, many UK police forces view the technology as an essential tool for modern policing, citing its effectiveness in reducing crime and enhancing public security.

Source: BBC

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September 5, 2024 – by the FindBiometrics Editorial Team