Live facial recognition vans expand

The Home Office expands the use of live facial recognition vans while civil liberties groups urge stronger safeguards.

Government expands police use of live facial recognition vans

The Home Office confirms a broader rollout of live facial recognition vans by the Met Police. The move arrives as courts consider a judicial review of the technology and amid ongoing concerns from civil liberties groups. Big Brother Watch has launched a legal challenge with Shaun Thompson, who was wrongly identified by an LFR camera, highlighting the risk of misidentification and civil liberty breaches. The government says officers will follow the College of Policing guidance and the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, and it points to independent testing by the National Physical Laboratory that the algorithm is accurate with no bias at the settings used by police.

Officials frame the expansion as a targeted tool, intended to identify sex offenders or people wanted for serious crimes who have not yet been located. The plan sits alongside pledges to provide the necessary training and to align with existing safeguards. South Wales Police, represented by Chief Superintendent Tim Morgan, says it operates ethically and in line with legislation and guidance, while the Police Federation stresses the need for extensive officer training as forces face retention challenges.

The issue sits at the intersection of public safety and civil liberties, testing how quickly police tech can scale before laws and safeguards keep pace. The government argues that existing guidance and testing provide a framework, but critics warn that a robust statutory regime is not yet in place. The core tension is clear: expand capabilities now, or pause to build stronger governance. The debate will likely influence future funding, oversight, and the pace at which new tools are adopted in the street. The case in court could redefine acceptable boundaries for facial recognition in everyday policing.

Highlights

The balance between safety and privacy will keep shaping policy as the investigation and oversight unfold.