Police to deploy facial recognition cameras again

A police force plans to deploy live facial recognition (LFR) technology in a city centre for a second time on 19 June.

Cambridgeshire Police said cameras would be used to identify individuals who pose the greatest risk to public safety in Peterborough, although the specific location of the cameras has not been confirmed.

The system scans faces from a live camera feed and compares them in real time with a watchlist of high-risk individuals.

During its first use on 19 May, police scanned 34,000 faces in a six-hour operation on Bridge Street and Long Causeway, leading to the arrest of two men wanted for failing to appear in court - one accused of theft from a person and the other of shoplifting.

Five other people were identified, including a woman suspected of breaching a criminal behaviour order.

Police said any matches are reviewed by an officer, while images and biometric data are deleted either immediately or within 24 hours if no further action is needed.

Insp Sam Tucker described the previous deployment of LFR as "a successful day", adding that officers also responded to other incidents, including a medical emergency.

He said the operation received a positive response from the public and local businesses, with some reporting a reduction in crime.

However, the force acknowledged people's concerns over the technology in regards to privacy.

A spokesperson for the force said: "Data collected via LFR is handled according to data protection laws and regulations.

"Personal information is only retained if a match is made and deemed necessary for investigation purposes.

"Images of people who do not match anyone on the watchlist are immediately deleted and cannot be recovered.

"All CCTV footage from mobile deployments is deleted within 31 days unless it is required for an investigation."

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