Live Facial Recognition technology will be used in Liverpool to combat crime.
Merseyside Police are rolling out the first deployment of the new initiative in the city centre from Monday, December 15 with the help of support vans.
Faces captured on a live camera feed will be checked against a secure watchlist of people wanted for serious offences or posing a risk to the public.
Officers will then assess the images and decide whether to speak to them.
Police chiefs insist anyone who is not on a watchlist will have their biometric data automatically deleted after passing through the LFR zone of recognition.
Watchlist images are deleted within 24 hours after each day of deployment and CCTV footage after 31 days, the same as standard public cameras.
Merseyside Police will continue to engage with local communities to explain how LFR works, why it is being used, and what safeguards are in place.
The technology has been successfully used by both the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police since 2017 and is being trialled at several forces.
All LFR deployments will be clearly signposted, and details of deployment locations will be published on our website ahead of time here.
Assistant Chief Constable Jennifer Wilson said: “We recognise that facial recognition technology raises important questions about privacy, and we are committed to addressing those concerns openly and responsibly.
“This is not mass surveillance. Anyone not included on a watchlist cannot be identified.
“This technology is focused solely on preventing and detecting crime and protecting the most vulnerable in our communities.
“Before this technology is deployed in the community, strict checks are in place to ensure its use is both necessary and proportionate.
“LFR has already proven successful in other police forces, and we’re building on their experience to ensure it delivers the same positive results here in Merseyside.”
For more information about Live Facial Recognition, visit: merseyside.police.uk/police-forces/merseyside-police/areas/au/about-us/facial-recognition-technology