- London's Metropolitan Police is set to significantly expand its use of static live facial recognition (LFR) cameras, with deployments planned for the West End and Soho by the end of the year.
- This expansion follows a successful six-month pilot programme in Croydon, south London, which the force hailed as a success.
- The Croydon trial led to 173 arrests, including a woman wanted for over two decades, and contributed to a reduction in crime and a significant fall in violence against women and girls, with only one false alert.
- Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley championed the technology, stating it is 'one of the most revolutionary technology advances in policing' and that public confidence is high, with around 80 per cent of Londoners supporting its use.
- The Met aims to roll out the static cameras, which are attached to street furniture and monitored remotely, to further parts of the capital next year, having already made over 2,000 arrests using LFR cameras since the beginning of 2024.
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