Suffolk Constabulary is set to use live facial recognition technology in Bury St Edmunds town centre next week as part of an operation aimed at preventing crime and locating people wanted in connection with serious offences.
The technology will be deployed in three Suffolk locations over three days. It will be used in Lowestoft on Tuesday, August 25, Bury St Edmunds on Wednesday, August 26, and Ipswich on Thursday, August 27.
Suffolk Police will use a van and equipment temporarily loaned from Surrey Police for the operation.
Live facial recognition compares faces captured by live camera feeds against a predetermined database, known as a watch list, containing people of interest.
Police say that if someone is not on the watch list, their face cannot be matched. Images of people who do not generate a match are automatically and immediately deleted and are not stored.
Where a positive match is identified, officers on the ground will take appropriate action to confirm the person’s identity before deciding what further action is required.
Sergeant Anthony Welford, of Suffolk Constabulary’s County Partnership Prevention Hub, said protecting people’s privacy was a key consideration.
“If you are in a location where LFR is being deployed and you are not one of the specific people we’re trying to locate, your image will be immediately and automatically deleted,” he said.
He added that previous deployments had also given members of the public an opportunity to speak to officers and learn more about the technology.
“It’s an effective way of finding people we want to speak to and keeping the public safe,” Sgt Welford said. “This technology can save time and effort of our officers, leaving them able to do other work to protect and help the public.”
Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said he welcomed the use of the technology across the county.
“It has huge potential to bring criminals to justice and prevent crime,” he said, adding that anything that could help protect homes and businesses had his support.