London’s Metropolitan Police said it will begin using static live facial recognition cameras in the West End and Soho by the end of 2026, extending a six-month pilot in Croydon. The system places cameras on street infrastructure, compares passersby against short-lived police watchlists created up to 24 hours in advance, and sends officers to stop people flagged as matches. The force said 24 Croydon deployments scanned more than 470,000 people, led to 173 arrests, and produced one false alert.
Why it matters: This expands biometric surveillance in a major public area without new legislation specifically governing it, affecting residents, workers, and tourists. It matters for privacy and civil-liberties watchdogs, policymakers, and the public because it signals broader routine police use of face-scanning technology in public spaces.
2026.06.24
100% relevant
The article establishes a distinct new policy and deployment milestone: the Met’s move from pilot use of live facial recognition to planned static deployments in central London public spaces.
← Back to all stories