The government has announced that facial recognition technology used by police will be subject to new safeguards to ensure that the technology is used fairly and safely.
An independent watchdog will be created to provide independent oversight of police use of current and future technologies. This watchdog could also potentially stop forces from using the tech if they fail to comply.
The law will also make it clear that any technologies used by law enforcement must be rigorously and independently tested against bias or discrimination of age, gender or race.
Furthermore, a specific law will be introduced to make it clear that police use of facial recognition must be intelligence led and proportionate, so it is only used when officers believe wanted people could be present in an area.
The announcement follows a public consultation, which found that while there is strong support for its use and its effectiveness in catching offenders, there is a need for stronger safeguards around the extent of the use of facial recognition technology.
Data from a pilot in Croydon between October 2025 and March 2026 showed that static live facial recognition cameras led to 173 arrests, including suspects wanted for rape, kidnap and sexual assault. The Met reported a 10.5 per cent drop in overall crime in the area against the previous year, and a 21 per cent decrease in offences linked to violence against women and girls.
鶹AV Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said: "Facial recognition technology has been the biggest breakthrough for catching criminals since DNA matching, already helping police take thousands of dangerous criminals off our streets.
"The benefits are clear, but we must ensure that its use is fair, safe and proportionate.
"It is right we put in place clear laws to ensure that the use of this technology is watertight, so the public can have confidence that these tools, which are vital to our safety, are used responsibly too."
Al Murray, Director of PoliceAI, said: "Facial recognition technology is one of a number of proven capabilities that can help policing work more effectively to keep the public safe. Used responsibly, technologies like this can help officers identify wanted offenders more quickly, make better use of available information and focus more time on protecting victims and communities.
"The benefits of technology adoption are greatest when innovation is matched by strong safeguards, transparency and public accountability. We welcome the government’s commitment to providing a clearer framework for the use of facial recognition, helping forces adopt technology consistently, responsibly and with the confidence of the public they serve."
