UK Metropolitan Police Service To Start Using Live Facial Recognition Technology

The UK Metropolitan Police Service announced on Friday in a statement that it would begin using Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology in several locations in London to tackle serious crimes more effectively

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th January, 2020) The UK Metropolitan Police Service announced on Friday in a statement that it would begin using Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology in several locations in London to tackle serious crimes more effectively.

"The use of live facial recognition technology will be intelligence-led and deployed to specific locations in London. This will help tackle serious crime, including serious violence, gun and knife crime, child sexual exploitation and help protect the vulnerable," the statement said.

The London police stated that LFR technology was an additional tool that officers could use to arrest criminals and not something that would replace "traditional policing" altogether.

"This is not a case of technology taking over from traditional policing; this is a system which simply gives police officers a 'prompt,' suggesting 'that person over there may be the person you're looking for,' it is always the decision of an officer whether or not to engage with someone," the document said.

According to Met Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave, similar technologies are already being used across the United Kingdom in the private sector.