Live Facial Recognition continues delivering justice in south London

Officers from the Met arrested 17 people in Croydon and Tooting during three Live Facial Recognition deployments this week, including a 23-year-old man in Tooting who was found with two rounds of blank ammunition.

A section 18 search warrant was authorised for that evening - Thursday, 21 March - where officers found six rounds of ammunition, stolen mobile phones, a large quantity of cannabis and a stolen Oyster card linked to a robbery in 2022. He remains in police custody.

In addition to the deployment in Tooting on Thursday, there was also deployments in Croydon the same day and previous Tuesday, 19 March.

This is a continuation of the Met’s work to reduce serious violence in both areas after listening to community concerns.

The technology identifies people who are on a bespoke watchlist which can include those who are wanted, have outstanding arrest warrants as issued by the court, or to ensure a person is complying with their conditions.

Lindsey Chiswick, Director of Intelligence for the Met and national lead for Facial Recognition, said: “Precision policing is us working efficiently to deliver a high level of service for Londoners.

“We do not keep your data. If there is no match, your data is immediately and automatically deleted in seconds.

“An independent study has confirmed the algorithm we use is accurate. Through this testing we also understand how to use the technology in a fair way with no bias in relation to race or gender.

“Ultimately Live Facial Recognition technology is here to keep Londoners safe through accurately identifying people the police want to talk to.”

The 14 arrests in Croydon were for:

• A registered sex offender arrested for breaching his conditions;
• A woman wanted for assault by beating and common assault;
• A woman wanted for a pickpocketing offence in Enfield;
• A man wanted for common assault;
• A man wanted for fraud by false representation;
• A man wanted for theft;
• A man wanted for breaching a court order;
• A man wanted for breaching the conditions of his tag;
• A man wanted for breaching his restraining order;
• A man wanted for burglary;
• A man wanted for theft;
• A woman wanted for theft;
• A man wanted for threatening behaviour;
• A woman wanted for obstructing a constable.

The three arrests in Tooting were for:

• A man wanted for possession of points and blades [This is the arrest referenced in the first two paragraphs]
• A man wanted for racially aggravated harassment;
• A man wanted for breach of tag conditions.

To build trust within the community these deployments are supported by local officers to provide information and reassurance. In Croydon on Tuesday, local officers assisting with the deployment also arrested three other men for possession of knives.

+ More information about Live Facial Recognition technology, including how it works, can be found online