The Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner is beginning
the process of gathering the latest information from all police
forces under his jurisdiction on their use of overt surveillance
camera systems.
The Commissioner, Professor Fraser Sampson, has written to the
chief officers of all 43 geographical forces in England and
Wales, the Ministry of Defence, the British Transport Police and
the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, asking for details of their use
and governance of all overt surveillance camera systems deployed
in public places.
The survey covers all facial recognition enabled systems, drone
mounted camera systems, helicopters or aeroplane mounted systems,
Body Worn Video (cameras on police uniforms), ANPR (automated
number plate recognition) systems and any other surveillance
camera systems in public places that fall within the definition
of section 29(6) of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.
The survey asks about the capabilities of systems, whether they
use equipment from non-UK suppliers about which there have been
ethical or security concerns, what due diligence they have
undertaken to ensure they are working with trusted partners, and
how their systems comply with the Home Secretary’s Surveillance
Camera Code which they have a legal duty to observe.
About facial recognition in particular, Professor Sampson’s
survey asks forces whether they currently use facial recognition
technology and, if so, whether it’s live (real-time) or
retrospective, and whether it is initiated by officers using
cameras on their mobile phones or some other kind of
system. If none is currently in use, the survey asks
whether the force intends to start using facial recognition
technology in the future.
Professor Sampson said: “There is little doubt that the police
use of surveillance camera systems in the public sphere has been
increasing in recent years. This survey will provide an important
snapshot of what kinds of overt surveillance camera systems
police are using, what they are being used for, and the extent to
which facial recognition technology is now being used. It should
also tell us whether police forces are complying with the new
Surveillance Camera Code as they should be.
“It will be very interesting to see how much things have changed
since similar surveys were conducted in 2017 and 2019 by my
predecessor in the role of Surveillance Camera Commissioner,” he
said.
The government’s revised Surveillance Camera Code
of Practice came into force in January this year and
emphasises the importance of the legitimate use of technology ‘to
a standard that maintains public trust and confidence’.
