More than 50 sex offenders arrested as police use facial recognition technology in new crackdown
6 December 2024, 22:01
Police have used facial recognition technology to track down more than 50 sex offenders found to be in breach of court orders.
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The high-tech process was used by the Metropolitan Police to track down a slew of criminals across London, from those accused of theft to alleged rapists.
In one case, a convicted child sex offender with a new partner was stopped by police.
The partner, who was living with a younger sibling at the time, was unaware of the sex offender’s history.
More than 500 people have been arrested using the technology this year, according to official figures.
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Of the 540 people arrested, 406 have been charged or cautioned and 95 of those arrested have been released on bail pending further enquiries.
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.
"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."
Police tracked down the sex offenders using a specialised van equipped with facial recognition cameras.
When the offenders passed by, images of their faces were run against a pre-approved watchlist.
If police found a match, officers would act quickly to apprehend the offender.
Police also confirmed "robust safeguards" were in place to ensure privacy.
If someone walks past a camera and is not on a police watchlist, data is permanently deleted.
If a match is identified, officers may take steps to verify a person's identity and investigate their involvement in any alleged offences.
