Dorset police have brought in facial recognition technology to spot wanted people
Dorset Police have deployed live facial recognition technology for the first time to track down wanted people and sex offenders
Dorset Police has deployed live facial recognition technology for the first time, scanning crowds in some of the county’s busiest areas for wanted people and individuals subject to court orders.
The technology has been introduced in six designated hotspots across Dorset, including Bournemouth Pier, Bournemouth Square and Boscombe High Street.
Live facial recognition, or LFR, uses cameras to analyse faces within a defined “zone of recognition” and compare them with photographs on a police watchlist. An officer operating the system can alert patrol officers nearby when a potential match is identified.
Dorset Police’s watchlist contains about 5,000 people, including sex offenders, domestic abuse perpetrators, missing people and individuals subject to court orders.
The technology is already used by police forces elsewhere in the country, including at major sporting events and football matches.
The Dorset rollout follows a survey of 1,068 residents commissioned by Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick. It found that 74% supported the use of LFR, while 23% opposed it.
Police say the technology is intended to identify people who may be of interest to officers rather than treat members of the public as suspects.
The force said anyone entering an LFR zone would be alerted to its use through signage and stressed that it was operating the system in accordance with national guidance.
However, the introduction of biometric surveillance has prompted concerns among critics who argue people should be able to go about their daily lives without being subjected to facial scans, potentially without their knowledge or consent.
Dorset Police said the technology should not be viewed as a way of monitoring everyone passing through an area. Instead, it is designed to highlight possible matches against the watchlist so officers can make further enquiries.
The system analyses key facial features captured by a live camera feed before comparing them with photographs of people on the watchlist.
Images of members of the public who are not on the watchlist are deleted immediately and permanently, according to the force.
For supporters, the system offers another tool for locating wanted offenders and protecting the public. However, for critics, its arrival raises fresh questions over privacy.