A live facial recognition (LFR) operation has faced criticism for fears it may lead to racial discrimination and intrusion of privacy in Ilford.
The Met Police operation, in which police used cameras to scan people’s faces in real time to match their identities against people wanted by the Met or by the Courts, resulted in the arrest of seven wanted individuals in Redbridge last Friday.
Offences of those arrested included criminal damage, rape, harassment, drugs, breach of court order theft and assault.
One individual stopped in breach of a court order was also further arrested for possession with intent to supply and found with Class A drugs.
An individual convicted of raping a child was also detained according to a Facebook post made by Redbridge councillor Khayer Chowdhury who joined police on the operation.
But Redbridge residents are divided over the technology.
While some residents welcomed LFR as a tool to improve safety, others raised concerns about privacy and discrimination.
Among those in favour is Sherit Nair, 49, a resident of Ilford for over 35 years who believes the technology is necessary.
His friend, Zara Aleena, was murdered in Ilford in 2022.
Nair’s family members have also been victims of petty crime in the area.
He said: “I think it’s a great thing, I’ve always wanted them to do that.
“I think Ilford is a prime candidate for that kind of technology, and I think a lot of people do feel unsafe in Ilford.”
Aleena’s killer was revealed due to CCTV footage, and Nair hopes LFR will provide similar results.
He also wants to see some sort of permeance with the technology which he said will make criminals’ lives difficult and scare them away.
He said he favours safety and security over an intrusion of privacy and believes that its benefits outweigh its cons.
Redbridge resident Nicoleta Dan, 46, also advocates for LFR’s usage which she said is an efficient way to keep the community safer.
She said: “As long as it will be used for the benefit of the community, I don’t see the problem of why we should not adopt it.”
But Ilford resident Harpoon Sultan, 54, is more reluctant and was upset to hear there had been an operation in his neighbourhood.
He said: “Over here, especially, it’s a very large community of Indians, Pakistanis and Bengalis, you know, other nationalities.”
One of Sultan’s worries is that the Ilford area may be targeted because of its racial diversity.
According to the Ilford postcode area Census 2021 data, 43.6% of the population are Asian, 37.7% are white, and 9.9% are black.
He said he can accept the technology if provisions are in place to prevent these issues from surfacing.
He continued: “If it’s all over the UK, I can understand, I can say yes, it’s a good thing then, because these days, crime has really risen.”
Big Brother Watch (BBW), an organisation campaigning to stop LFR, has condemned the deployment in Ilford, calling it another example of the Met Police’s “alarming rollout” of intrusive surveillance.
A BBW spokesperson said: “Everyone wants dangerous criminals off the street, but papering over the cracks of a creaking policing system with intrusive technology is not the solution.
“Rather than actively pursuing people who pose a risk to the public, police officers are relying on chance and hoping that wanted people happen to walk in front of a police camera.”
A Met Police spokesperson said: “The Met is actively engaging with communities and partners across London to build understanding of how LFR works and to address concerns about privacy and racial bias.
“Efforts include debunking myths, sharing successes, and providing reassurance by explaining the rigorous checks and balances in place to protect people’s rights and privacy.”
According to the spokesperson, a ‘ping’ on the camera will cause the police to compare the CCTV and watch-list image before carrying out a check in the street to confirm identity and the reason for the alert.
Superintendent Clare McCarthy, who oversees neighbourhood policing in Redbridge, said police LFR operations allow police to quickly identify wanted offenders that present a risk to the community.
She said: “This technology helps keep Londoners safe, and will be used to find people who threaten or cause harm, those who are wanted, or have outstanding arrest warrants issued by the court.”
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