Police are testing live facial recognition in Ipswich to find individuals linked to serious crimes.
The cameras scan faces in real-time on the street, checking these scans against a list of wanted people. The police say they will instantly delete images of others, assuring that they won’t save any images of regular folks.
If the system finds a match, officers confirm the person’s identity before deciding what action to take. Police hope this improves safety in the community and helps solve ongoing investigations.
Eamonn Bridger said the tech works to find suspects effectively, noting its success in other places. He stated that they are only seeking those who committed serious crimes and emphasized the importance of public awareness.
Bridger wants to protect communities with this technology and bring criminals to justice. He assured everyone they take privacy seriously, reiterating that normal peoples’ images won’t be kept.
If you are not a target, your image deletes right away, he explained, stating that the system deletes automatically. The police want people to feel safe and believe this technology will help a lot.