The Metropolitan Police have revealed that the use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology in the capital since January 2024 in boroughs including Ealing has resulted in 540 people being arrested in London for a variety of offences including rape, assault and theft.
LFR was introduced to Ealing in April this year following former Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, Borough Commander for the West Area telling the Ealing Business Club in March 2024 that live facial technology will be introduced in the borough.
He said on 14 March 2024: “We now are starting to experiment with live facial recognition and we’ll be doing an all party policy briefing. That is controversial. But if we’re to keep a step ahead, we must start using that technology.”
In a statement on X, announcing the introduction in April, Ealing Police said: “This technology helps keep Londoners safe, and will be used to find people who threaten or cause harm, those who are wanted, or have outstanding arrest warrants issued by the court.”
Following the introduction, the Met said three people were arrested in April. Among those arrested was one man wanted for assault on an emergency worker.
Speaking to EALING.NEWS at the time, Inspector Crystal Govers of the Met’s West Area Basic Command Unit which covers Ealing, Hillingdon and Hounslow said: “Live facial recognition is a real-time crime-fighting system that can help officers identify a person by comparing those who pass a LFR system with a watch list of pre-authorised digital images. LFR has the ability to help officers identify persons of interest to the police, protect the public and to keep London safe.”
In May, LFR was expanded and introduced to Southall.
Since January this year, across London, the Met said that more than 50 people were arrested for offences involving violence against women and girls (VAWG) as well as arresting over 50 sex offenders who were found to be in breach of their court conditions.
In a statement, Lindsey Chiswick, the Met’s director of performance, said: “This technology is helping us protect our communities from harm. It is a powerful tool that supports officers to identify and focus on people who present the highest risk that may otherwise have gone undetected.”
Ms Chiswick added: “From targeting sex offenders to apprehending those responsible for violent crimes, live facial recognition is helping us deliver justice more effectively while making our streets safer.
“LFR works hand in hand with officers and is a vital part of making the Met a modern police service and delivering our mission to make communities safer.”
 technology in the capital including Ealing has resulted in 540 people being arrested in London for a variety of offences including rape and theft.){kind=link}