Facial recognition cameras roll out permanently on London high streets

Live facial recognition (LFR) cameras are to be permanently installed on high streets in Croydon, marking a UK first in the use of this controversial technology. The Metropolitan Police announced the move after a two-year pilot programme using mobile vans equipped with LFR technology resulted in hundreds of arrests. The fixed cameras are expected to go live by the summer, extending this initiative significantly.

The permanent cameras will be located on lampposts or attached to buildings in two specific sites within Croydon town centre, namely North End and London Road. They will only operate when police officers are actively deployed nearby and ready to respond to alerts generated by the system. The cameras scan passers-by and match their images against a database of wanted individuals, with the police stressing that data is immediately deleted if no match is found, protecting privacy for law-abiding individuals.

The move has seen a mixed response. The Metropolitan Police emphasised the successes of the trial period, reporting over 500 arrests across London last year with the technology directly contributing to the capture of individuals suspected of serious offences such as stalking, domestic abuse and rape. Local MP Chris Philp praised the initiative, describing it as a logical step that will help apprehend more offenders and prevent criminals from evading justice by moving through town centres undetected.

Privacy campaigners, however, remain strongly opposed. Groups such as Big Brother Watch expressed concerns about the potential for misuse of this technology, arguing that there is insufficient legislative oversight to regulate its deployment. They fear such measures could pave the way for extensive surveillance practices without adequate safeguards to protect individual rights. Critics have labelled the development a dangerous step towards a surveillance society, calling for a nationwide halt on the use of LFR until proper legal frameworks are in place.

The Met has argued that the current safeguards are robust, with accreditation from the National Physical Laboratory confirming the system avoids racial biases, a common critique of facial recognition software in the past. Public engagement events are also planned in Croydon to inform residents about the initiative and foster dialogue about its implications.

As the debate continues, Croydon is set to become a litmus test for the wider adoption of live facial recognition technology across London and potentially the rest of the UK. If successful, it could redefine modern policing and security measures in urban areas but not without generational concerns surrounding privacy and civil liberties.