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Authorities are urging police to increase their utilization of backward-looking facial recognition technology in order to locate criminals within the next half year.
The Minister for Policing, Chris Philp, has sent a letter to police leaders proposing a goal of surpassing 200,000 searches on the Police National Database by May through the use of facial recognition technology.
Furthermore, he is urging the police to expand the use of live facial recognition cameras.
According to Mr. Philp, these developments will enable law enforcement to stay ahead of criminals and improve the safety of Britain’s streets.
The call comes ahead of the UK Government hosting a global artificial intelligence (AI) safety summit this week at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire.
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The use of facial recognition, even in real-time, has resulted in the capture of numerous dangerous offenders, such as those guilty of murder and sexual offenses.
Chris Philp, the minister responsible for policing, has
Some lawmakers may have concerns about the Conservative minister’s push for increased technology usage.
A bipartisan coalition of legislators this month demanded a “halt without delay” to the implementation of live facial recognition surveillance by law enforcement and private businesses.
The program utilizes facial biometrics to identify individuals, even if their face is partially obscured.
The technology’s live form records videos of crowds and then cross-references it with a list of wanted suspects, notifying officers if there is a potential match.
David Davis, who used to serve as the Brexit secretary, along with Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Caroline Lucas, a member of the Green Party, and Baroness Shami Chakrabarti, former shadow attorney general for the Labour Party, were among 65 individuals from both the House of Commons and House of Lords who supported a request to stop the deployment.
31 organizations, including Big Brother Watch, Liberty, Amnesty International, and the Race Equality Foundation, also supported the joint statement.
Mr. Davis, a veteran Conservative MP, tweeted his support for the discontinuation of live facial recognition on October 6. He stated that Parliament has never explicitly approved its use.
This tool is used for mass surveillance without any suspicion and has no place in Britain.
The Home Office dismisses these concerns, stating that the use of facial recognition cameras is closely regulated by laws protecting data, promoting equality, and upholding human rights. It can only be employed for policing purposes when deemed necessary and appropriate.
The department states that AI surveillance techniques, like facial recognition, can aid law enforcement in accurately identifying individuals wanted for major offenses and locating missing persons.
The argument is that AI has the potential to save police time and resources, which could result in more officers being stationed in local communities.
The Home Office stated that the police will post notifications in locations where they plan to implement live facial recognition.
If no match is found against a watch list, the individual’s information will be immediately and automatically deleted from the system.
The article stated that live facial recognition technology has been effectively utilized, such as during last month’s Arsenal versus Tottenham match at Emirates Stadium. The police were able to apprehend three wanted individuals, including one for sexual offenses.
The department stated that another convicted sex offender was recognized at the coronation in May and immediately returned to prison.
According to Mr. Philp, AI technology has the potential to be a valuable asset for positive impact and presents great possibilities for improving law enforcement and reducing crime.
Our goal is to ensure that law enforcement has the necessary resources to effectively solve and prevent crimes, prosecute perpetrators, and safeguard the community.
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Live facial recognition, as well as facial recognition in general, has a solid legal justification that has been validated by the courts. It has successfully aided in the apprehension of numerous dangerous criminals, including those charged with murder and sexual offenses.
“We are not focusing on obtaining new equipment or implementing new technology just for the sake of it. Our goal is to stay ahead of criminals, provide more intelligent and efficient policing, and ultimately create safer streets.”
Source: independent.co.uk
