The Metropolitan Police is expanding its use of static live facial recognition cameras to London's West End and Soho, with deployment expected by the end of the year. The move follows a six-month pilot in Croydon, south London, between October 2025 and May 2026, which resulted in 173 arrests, including a woman who had been sought for over two decades. Further rollouts across the capital are planned for 2026.
Pilot Results and Public Support
During the Croydon pilot, more than 470,000 people walked past the camera, generating only one false alert, where the individual was spoken to by officers and then allowed to leave. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley stated: “Facial recognition is one of the most revolutionary technology advances in policing in recent years. Public confidence in this is clear – around 80 per cent of Londoners support its use. That backing reflects a simple truth: it works.”
Sir Mark added: “We have already seen the impact in Croydon, where a six-month pilot delivered over 170 arrests, a reduction in crime and a significant fall in violence against women and girls. All these results with only one false alert among hundreds of thousands of people.”
Technology and Deployment
The cameras, which attach to street furniture and are monitored remotely, are designed to target wanted criminals and registered sex offenders. Sir Mark emphasised: “The technology supports officers to target wanted criminals and registered sex offenders. Crucially it is supporting officers – not replacing them.” Since the start of 2024, the force has arrested more than 2,000 people using live facial recognition cameras.
Future Plans and Context
The Met plans to introduce the capability to the West End and Soho by December, aiming to cut crime in high-footfall areas. Sir Mark noted: “We also have to be clear about the threat we face – criminals are not standing still. They are quick to exploit new technology to commit offences, evade detection and target victims at scale. Policing cannot afford to fall behind and this is another step towards tackling that.”
