Greater Manchester Police's latest Live Facial Recognition (LFR) operation led to several arrests on Wednesday, August 25, including the force's first arrest following an alert linked to a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO).
Operation at Manchester Victoria
The LFR van was stationed at Manchester Victoria throughout parts of the morning and afternoon, scanning the area for individuals on pre-set watchlists. These can include people wanted in connection with offences, registered sex offenders, missing people and others of interest.
Among those identified was a 46-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of breaching an SCPO, marking the first time an LFR alert has resulted in an arrest for an alleged SCPO breach.
Items seized and further arrests
Officers found the man carrying a number of mobile phones, tablets, passports and bank cards, which were believed to be in breach of conditions imposed on him by the courts. The items were seized and enquiries are continuing.
The operation also identified a man in his 40s who was wanted in connection with a theft dating back almost a year. He was subsequently arrested.
A further alert involving a registered sex offender allowed officers to check that the individual was complying with the conditions attached to their registration.
How LFR works and its track record
LFR works by scanning faces and generating alerts for officers when a potential match is identified, such as someone wanted by police or subject to a court order. Images that do not generate a match are deleted immediately, while matched images are deleted within 24 hours unless they are needed as part of an ongoing investigation.
GMP said there were no misidentifications during yesterday's deployment. Since the technology was introduced in October last year, more than one million facial scans have been carried out. During that period, there has been one confirmed false identification involving a white female at the Manchester Marathon.
Inspector Bree Lanyon, of GMP's Transport Unit, said: "Our LFR technology has deployed to all manner of events and locations, resulting in hundreds of alerts and more than one hundred arrests, which have resulted in dozens of charges."
"LFR provides a further layer of security to those across Greater Manchester, enhancing our policing output and helping us track suspected criminals. We always look to engage with the public and would encourage anyone with any questions to ask regarding the work."
