Hundreds of paedophiles, rapists and violent robbers have been arrested by officers in the Metropolitan Police using Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology, the force recently announced.
Among the more than 1,000 arrests are at least 100 individuals allegedly involved in serious violence against women and girls (VAWG) offences such as strangulation, stalking, domestic abuse and rape. The Met says it’s taking the lead in using this technology, using it to identify and apprehend offenders who pose a significant risk.
So far, of the arrests made using LFR, charges or cautions have been given to 773 perpetrators. LFR is also used to locate those who are breaking bail conditions without the need for extensive police resources or frequent visits.
Lindsey Chiswick, lead for LFR at the Met and nationally, said: “This milestone of 1,000 arrests is a demonstration of how cutting-edge technology can make London safer by removing dangerous offenders from our streets.
“LFR is helping us deliver justice for victims, including those who have been subjected to horrendous offences, such as rape and serious assault. It is not only saving our officers’ valuable time but delivering faster, more accurate results to catch criminals – helping us be more efficient than ever before.”
The Met said that each deployment is made up of an LFR team as well as several neighbourhood officers in the vicinity to talk to those identified and make necessary arrests.
LFR interventions do not always result in arrest, and the tool is often used to stop people who are flagged from the watchlist who have conditions imposed by the courts.
These may include registered sex offenders and those convicted of stalking, among others. The interventions are crucial as they are another way of police ensuring that people are adhering to their conditions. In turn, communities are kept safer as a result.
In London, a breach of conditions has been identified 21 per cent of the time. The Met also noted that, in total, 93 registered sex offenders have been arrested by Met officers as part of the 1,035 arrests seen since LFR technology was introduced at the start of 2024.
