The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has scrutinised the use of facial recognition technology by two police forces.
South Wales Police and Gwent Police have been audited for their use of the technology, which is increasingly playing a significant role in modern policing.
While facial recognition technology (FRT) can assist in the prevention and detection of crime, the ICO warns that it poses risks to people’s rights and freedoms if not used responsibly.
The ICO’s audit was aimed at ensuring compliance with data protection laws and safeguarding individual rights.
The ICO’s audit assessed how the two forces govern their use of FRT and the safeguards in place, such as staff training, retention of personal information, and data protection impact assessments to mitigate risks.
The audit focused on governance and how personal information is used, rather than a detailed assessment of the technology.
The ICO found that both forces ensured human oversight from trained staff to mitigate the risk of discrimination and ensure no decisions are solely automated.
They also have a formal application process to assess the necessity and proportionality before each deployment of live facial recognition (LFR).
The audit serves as a snapshot in time, focusing only on the current use of FRT by these two forces.
It does not provide approval for all police forces but highlights areas of assurance and areas for improvement that other forces can learn from.
The ICO has been monitoring the use of FRT since it was first used by UK police in 2016 and has consistently provided guidance and opinions on its use.
As FRT becomes more widely used, the ICO continues to engage with police forces on appropriate safeguards and sets out clear expectations for its use.
The ICO plans to conduct further audits of police forces, including the Metropolitan Police, Essex Police, and Leicestershire Police, and will publish their findings in due course.
South Wales Police and Gwent Police have welcomed the audit.
Chief Superintendent Tim Morgan, of the joint South Wales and Gwent digital services department, said: “The level of oversight and independent scrutiny of facial recognition technology means that we are now in a stronger position than ever before to be able to demonstrate to the communities of South Wales and Gwent that our use of the technology is fair, legitimate, ethical and proportionate.
“We welcome the work of the Information Commissioner’s Office audit which provides us with independent assurance of the extent to which both forces are complying with data protection legislation.
“We fully understand the concerns which are raised about the use of facial recognition technology which is why we use any new technology ethically and spend time and effort making sure it’s deployed in line with all legislation and guidance.
“Our priority is to keep the public safe and this technology continues to help us to bring offenders to justice and protect the public.”
He further mentioned that a series of trial deployments and the independent testing and evaluation of data by the National Physical Laboratory confirmed that the technology does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, age or race.
The ICO’s audit aligns with its AI and biometrics strategy, reinforcing its commitment to ensuring the proportionate and rights-respecting use of FRT by the police.
The ICO’s recent research found that while almost two-thirds of people surveyed (63 per cent) felt comfortable with police using FRT, their support relies on the technology being accurate, unbiased, and respectful of people’s privacy, as well as being used in a way that clearly benefits society.
The ICO emphasised that the value of FRT lies in its deployment in a way that supports effective policing and attracts public support.
Finding that balance is crucial, and the ICO welcomes work led by the Government to continue the debate on FRT’s use and what it means for the law.
South Wales Police uses live facial recognition, retrospective facial recognition, and operator-initiated facial recognition.
Gwent Police uses retrospective facial recognition and operator-initiated facial recognition.
The ICO’s scrutiny of these two forces’ use of FRT is the first in a series of audits of police forces across England and Wales that have been early adopters of the technology.
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