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Met’s Croydon Facial Recognition Pilot Logs 100+ Arrests in Three Months

Street-mounted, remotely monitored cameras replaced van deployments to speed suspect pickups.

Overview

  • The Met reports 103 arrests in the first three months of the Croydon trial, with about a third linked to violence against women and girls.
  • Fixed cameras on street furniture fed remote monitoring teams, producing an average arrest every 34 minutes across 13 deployments.
  • Police say crime in Fairfield Ward fell by 12% since the pilot began in October, and average suspect location times improved versus van-based use.
  • Each operation uses a watchlist compiled within 24 hours and deleted afterward, and cameras are only switched on when officers are present.
  • Officials say the pilot will be evaluated before any expansion, as national funding and consultations advance and the EHRC’s earlier unlawfulness finding continues to frame civil-liberty concerns.