Police to use facial recognition at Illuminations

Lancashire Police is to use Live Facial Recognition (LFR) for the first time at Blackpool Illuminations.

The technology scans faces in crowds from a live camera feed and checks them against a watchlist of wanted people.

The force said it would be in use ahead of and during the Illuminations switch-on concert, an outdoor event on the Tower Festival Headland on 4 September.

A police spokesman said the technology was a "vital tool" for helping officers quickly identify and apprehend people who pose the greatest risk to communities.

Ch Supt Chris Hardy said the technology compares faces captured on a live feed against a secure watchlist of people wanted for serious offences, subject to court orders or posing a risk to the public or themselves.

"When the system identifies a possible match, a police officer will compare the image on screen with the person in view and decide whether to speak to them.

"This decision will always be made by an officer, not the technology.

"Officers will always explain why they have engaged with someone and provide an information leaflet with contact details."

He said biometric data would not be stored for anyone not on a watchlist.

"It is immediately and automatically deleted, ensuring privacy is protected," he said.

LFR has been used by the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police since 2017 and is being trialled at several forces, including Merseyside Police and Greater Manchester Police.

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