Police use facial recognition cameras in Colchester for first time

After a successful trial in Southend earlier this year, the cameras were deployed to Colchester for the first time on Tuesday and Saturday.

The technology resulted in the police arresting one person over the course of the two days, according to data published on the Essex Police website.

Clear – vans fitted with facial recognition cameras are clearly marked (Image: Essex Police) Other statistics showed the cameras detected a total of 48,577 faces, with three positive interventions recorded as a direct result of police using the equipment.

There were no incorrect alerts or interventions.

Facial recognition cameras work by allowing police to compare live camera feeds of faces against a predetermined database of people who are considered of interest to the force.

Only images of specific people which police are looking for appear on that database and images of people who are not being looked for are immediately deleted.

Chair of Colchester Council’s crime and disorder panel, Conservative councillor Darius Laws, said the cameras were a natural progression from CCTV which people have grown accustomed to in towns and cities across the country.

Darius Laws has had his say on the facial recognition (Image: Newsquest)

He said: “Generally, we are very keen that the police are empowered to use that sort of technology to help keep residents in Colchester safe.

“We do have an extensive CCTV network as it is, and the technology has been developing over the years – it used to be grainy, black and white pictures in the dark and this is another way of technology moving on.”

Future deployments will take place in Colchester on Friday, December 13 and Friday, December 20.

Widespread – the cameras are used in Colchester, Thurrock, Chelmsford, and Southend (Image: Essex Police) Addressing any suspicions residents might have about the technology, Mr Laws said: “People probably said the same about CCTV years ago – people used to be concerned about it in the Dutch Quarter because they through it was invasive.

“But in a built-up urban area we have all become accustomed to CCTV but it is there for safety and to act as a deterrent.

“I would imagine that the deployment of facial recognition is an extension of CCTV, going back to when it used to not work in the dark.”