Live Facial Recognition arrests 28 in Bradford city centre operations

West Yorkshire Police made 28 arrests across Bradford using Live Facial Recognition technology, targeting offences from child sexual assault to drug crime.

Twenty-eight arrested in Bradford after Live Facial Recognition deployments

West Yorkshire Police has arrested 28 people across Bradford city centre following a series of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) operations conducted since the end of February, thetelegraphandargus.co.uk reports.

The deployments targeted individuals wanted in connection with a range of offences, including those sought by the courts and those considered a risk to the public. Among those arrested, one man was detained on suspicion of child sexual assault. Others were held in connection with assault, drug-related crime, domestic abuse and theft. A number of those identified were wanted for failing to attend court or had been recalled to prison.

Chief Inspector Dan Tillett, who leads on LFR at West Yorkshire Police, said the technology had been deployed with care at locations where intelligence indicated it would be most effective. "In Bradford, the technology was used to identify 28 people who were arrested for a range of offences," Tillett said. "Several others were identified as being subject to court orders and we were able to check to ensure they were complying with those orders."

Tillett added that the force is "not using it for mass surveillance or indiscriminate monitoring, but rather as a targeted tool designed to support frontline officers."

Inspector Justin Adams, Neighbourhood Policing Team inspector for Bradford city centre, said LFR had proven effective in identifying individuals who might otherwise have gone undetected. "It also acts as a deterrent to those considering criminal activity in the city centre," Adams said.

Following the outcomes in Bradford, West Yorkshire Police said it will continue to operate its two fully liveried LFR vans at carefully selected locations across the county, including events where a specific policing need has been identified.

Jonny Noble, chief executive of the Bradford Business Improvement District (Bradford BID), welcomed the use of the technology. "New and advancing technologies provide opportunities not seen before and we believe that these innovations, combined with ongoing traditional partnership working, will continue to ensure Bradford city centre is a safe, welcoming and vibrant place to work, visit and live," Noble said.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)