London Police Doubling Live Facial Recognition Use

Published Date : 7/31/2025 

The Metropolitan Police in London plans to increase the use of live facial recognition technology to up to 10 deployments per week, targeting serious offenders and enhancing crime prevention. 

The Metropolitan Police, or The Met, in London is set to intensify its use of live facial recognition technology as part of a broader strategy to combat crime and rebuild public trust. This move comes in response to a significant budget shortfall and a reduction in staff, according to a recent news release.

The Met is ramping up its efforts to “ruthlessly prioritize resources and put more officers on the beat in the busiest parts of London.” This strategy, developed in collaboration with the Mayor of London, aims to boost local neighborhood teams, enhance partnership working, and make high visibility policing a central focus in the fight against crime.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has emphasized that despite the budget constraints, The Met is getting “smaller but more capable.” A key part of this capability is the doubling of live facial recognition (LFR) deployments. Currently, LFR is used four times a week across two days, but this will increase to up to five days a week, delivering up to 10 deployments across London each week. The goal is to increase the number of arrests of wanted offenders.

According to a report in The Guardian, the Met has made 1,000 arrests using live facial recognition, with 773 of these leading to charges or cautions. Commissioner Rowley stated that the force is only interested in using the technology to find “serious offenders like wanted offenders and registered sex offenders.” He highlighted the effectiveness of LFR, noting that it has been instrumental in capturing multiple serious offenders in one go, many of whom have committed serious offenses against women, children, or have been involved in armed robbery.

The increased use of LFR is also a response to rising crime rates in certain areas of London. Retailers in the West End have reported a significant increase in shoplifting, with cases topping 500,000 in 2024. Other concerns include phone snatching and knife crime. A new report shows that 20 streets around Oxford Circus and Regent Street accounted for one in every 15 knife attacks between 2021 and 2024.

Commissioner Rowley also addressed the issue of protests, particularly those related to Israel and Palestine and climate change. He noted that while the laws are permissive and encouraging of protests, a proportion of these events have led to crime and offenses. However, he emphasized that the police have no powers to reduce the number of protests or cancel them.

Despite the Met's plans, the doubling of live facial recognition usage has raised concerns among some groups. The district of Croydon, which recorded 10,000 violent crimes in a 12-month period in 2024, is set to become the UK’s first area with a permanent live facial recognition deployment. The cameras will be attached to lampposts or buildings in pedestrian areas.

Big Brother Watch, a privacy advocacy group, has criticized the police's use of live FRT, stating that there is currently no existing legislation to cover the use of this controversial biometric technology. Police forces scanned nearly 4.7 million faces with live facial recognition last year, more than double the number scanned in 2023.

The Home Office has also been working with the police on a new national facial recognition system, known as the “strategic facial matcher,” intended to search databases including custody images and immigration records. The police national database (PND) contains custody mugshots, many of which have been found to be stored unlawfully, of people who have never been charged with or convicted of an offense.

The Metropolitan Police's strategy to double live facial recognition deployments is part of a broader effort to enhance crime prevention and public safety, but it has also sparked a debate about privacy and the responsible use of biometric technology. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the Metropolitan Police's new strategy for using live facial recognition?

A: The Metropolitan Police plans to double the use of live facial recognition to up to 10 deployments per week, targeting serious offenders and enhancing crime prevention.

Q: How many arrests has the Met made using live facial recognition?

A: The Met has made 1,000 arrests using live facial recognition, with 773 of these leading to charges or cautions.

Q: Why is the Met increasing the use of live facial recognition?

A: The increase is in response to a significant budget shortfall, a reduction in staff, and rising crime rates, particularly in areas like the West End of London.

Q: What are the concerns about the increased use of live facial recognition?

A: Privacy advocates and some groups are concerned about the lack of existing legislation to cover the use of this biometric technology and the potential for misuse.

Q: Which area in London will get the first permanent live facial recognition deployment?

A: Croydon, which recorded 10,000 violent crimes in a 12-month period in 2024, will become the UK’s first area with a permanent live facial recognition deployment. 

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