Cambridgeshire Police to Deploy Live Facial Recognition for Public Safety

Cambridgeshire Police will deploy live facial recognition (LFR) technology in Peterborough city centre starting 16 May 2026. The system is designed to identify individuals wanted by the courts, police, or deemed high-risk to public safety. LFR works by scanning faces from a live camera feed and comparing them with a police watch list containing outstanding arrest warrants and high-risk offenders. Any match is reviewed by an officer, and images and biometric data are deleted immediately or within 24 hours if no further action is required. Assistant Chief Constable John Massey highlighted that the use of LFR demonstrates a commitment to public safety and serves as a modern tool to reduce crime. He acknowledged that the community may have questions about the technology and confirmed that officers will engage with the public to provide information. After the initial deployment in May, police will review the collected data to evaluate effectiveness and determine possible use in other locations. Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston emphasized that safeguards are in place to ensure the technology is used appropriately and effectively. This initiative marks the first use of LFR in Cambridgeshire, though similar systems have been deployed successfully in other policing contexts, showing high accuracy and potential crime prevention benefits.