Police: Biometrics
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has advised any police forces not to activate facial recognition functions within surveillance software.
Answered by Sarah Jones
The Home Office has not issued advice to police forces on the activation of specific facial recognition functions within surveillance software.
The use of facial recognition technology by police forces is an operational matter for chief constables, who are responsible for deciding how and when to deploy capabilities in accordance with the law and relevant guidance.
Police use of facial recognition is governed by a legal framework which includes data protection, equality, human rights laws, national guidance issued by the College of Policing, a surveillance camera code of practice and forces’ own published policies. Their use of the technology must be for a policing purpose and be necessary, proportionate and fair.
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