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The UK Home Office has revealed plans to increase the use of facial recognition technology by police forces across the country. Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones described this expansion as potentially “the biggest breakthrough” in law enforcement since the advent of DNA matching. To gather public opinion on this development, a 10-week consultation was launched, which may lead to new legislation governing the technology’s deployment.
Facial recognition is currently employed to help police locate wanted individuals as well as identify vulnerable persons. Since 2023, the Metropolitan Police alone have made approximately 1,300 arrests using this technology, targeting offenders including those convicted of rape and violent crimes. However, the approach has drawn criticism, with campaign group Big Brother Watch warning that increased use could push the country toward a “surveillance state” reminiscent of dystopian scenarios. Silkie Carlo from the group voiced concerns that society risks “being turned into an open prison” if the technology’s rollout continues unchecked.
The government is also proposing the establishment of a regulator responsible for overseeing the use of biometric data and facial recognition by police forces. The tools are intended to be used in focused, time-limited operations and could assist in identifying prisoners who have been wrongfully released. Sarah Jones emphasized the potential impact of these measures, stating, “Facial recognition is the biggest breakthrough for catching criminals since DNA matching. We will expand its use so that forces can put more criminals behind bars and tackle crime in their communities.”
Financially, the Home Office invested £12.6 million in facial recognition technology in 2024, with £2.8 million allocated specifically for live recognition systems. Several police forces have introduced new mobile vans equipped with this technology, broadening pilot programs initially led by the Metropolitan Police in partnership with South Wales and Essex Police. The Home Office indicated that any new laws resulting from the consultation process could take roughly two years to pass through Parliament, primarily impacting policing practices in England and Wales, with some relevance to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for facial recognition, Lindsey Chiswick, highlighted that live facial recognition is already regulated with strict safeguards, noting that “public trust is vital” and expressing a desire to incorporate public feedback in future developments
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