Borough to have first static facial recognition cameras in London

Croydon town centre is to get the Metropolitan Police’s first batch of static facial recognition cameras.

The cameras are normally used on vans for specific events but these will be fixed to street furniture.

According to the police the cameras to date have facilitated hundreds of arrests, but privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch called the move part of a “steady slide into a dystopian nightmare” and warned of the lack of “oversight or legislative basis”.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “The Met is committed to making London safer, using data and technology to identify offenders that pose a risk to our communities.

“Last year we made over 500 arrests using live facial recognition -  removing dangerous individuals who were suspected of serious offences, including strangulation, stalking, domestic abuse and rape.

“We continue to engage with our communities to build understanding about how this technology works, providing reassurances that there are rigorous checks and balances in place to protect people’s rights and privacy.”

Police said the static cameras would be switched on only when officers were using the technology in the area.

There were no current plans to expand the cameras to any other sites around London.

Police said the technology used meant that if a member of the public walked past a facial recognition camera and is not wanted by the police, their biometrics are immediately and permanently deleted. 

If though a match is generated, officers may approach the person concerned to verify their identity and confirm their involvement in any offences.

An alert from the system does not automatically result in an arrest as officers make discretionary decisions about whether further action is necessary, the police said.

The London Borough of Croydon has been contacted for comment.

Mark Smulian