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Dear Residents, I came across this article on the use of facial recognition technology to identify and arrest criminals, and to find missing persons, and wanted to share it with you. The Metropolitan (Met) Police highlights that facial recognition (FR) technology helps identify and arrest dangerous criminals, including those wanted for serious offenses and registered sex offenders, and helps to find missing people. The Met Police also argues that it is a cost-effective tool that can increase efficiency by freeing up officer time, allowing for more community engagement. A higher percentage of encounters following an FR alert have resulted in an arrest compared to traditional stop and search tactics. Crime detection and prevention Locating high-risk individuals: FR can identify people wanted by police, court-ordered individuals such as those on bail with conditions (e.g., sex offenders, stalkers), and those who are a risk of harm to themselves or others.Making arrests: Since January 2024, the Met has made over 1,000 arrests using live facial recognition (LFR), with a 30% success rate in resulting in arrest for individuals flagged by the system, compared to 13.3% for stop and search.Aiding in investigations: It is used retrospectively to help establish someone's identity by matching their image against databases after an event, such as when a person is unconscious or unable to communicate. Operational efficiency Cost-effectiveness: In an era of tight budgets, the Met views FR as a cost-effective tool for increasing public safety and for being more precise in its policing.Freeing up resources: By automating the identification process, LFR can free up officers' time, enabling them to engage more with communities and focus on more complex investigations. Supporting public safety Finding missing persons: The technology can be used to help locate missing people.Improving the effectiveness of policing: The Met claims it provides a tool to support officers in making identifications, rather than acting as a completely autonomous system.Increased arrest rate: The high rate of arrests resulting from LFR alerts suggests it is an effective tool for identifying individuals on watchlists and bringing them to justice. I hope that you found the above information useful, as operations involving the use of facial recognition technology will most likely be taking place on selected areas on our wards. Have a good week. Regards. | 
