Bedfordshire Police has confirmed that Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology will be deployed in Bedford town centre for the first time on Friday, 19 September.
The announcement follows the force’s inclusion in a national expansion of the technology, unveiled by the Home Office last month.
Bedfordshire is one of seven police forces across the country to receive LFR equipment, alongside a commitment to strong governance and community engagement.
LFR works by comparing faces captured on a live camera feed with a watchlist of individuals wanted by police or courts, or subject to court orders or bail conditions. If the system detects a potential match, officers are notified and carry out further checks before taking any action.
“Unmatched advantage”
Superintendent Ian Taylor, LFR Strategic Lead for Bedfordshire Police, said: “We’re proud to announce the launch of Live Facial Recognition in Bedfordshire with our first deployment due to take place next week in Bedford.
“We know the community still have questions about advanced technology in policing, and officers will be on hand to engage with residents and answer any queries.
“LFR gives us an unmatched advantage to identify and detain wanted individuals, ensuring criminals are brought to justice and our communities are protected from crime and harm.”
The force said it also plans to use the technology to help locate high-risk missing people, victims of crime, or individuals who may have key information relating to serious investigations.
A similar deployment at last year’s Bedford River Festival scanned more than 415,000 faces across two days using 360° cameras, identifying seven individuals from a watchlist of 550 with no false alerts recorded.
Two LFR vans have now been delivered to Bedfordshire Police, as part of a national fleet of ten. The vehicles will support town centre deployments and targeted operations.
Independent Ethics Panel
To ensure oversight and transparency, Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Chief Constable, setting out the principles for ethical, legal, and proportionate use of the technology.
Read: Concerns raised over police’s planned use of facial recognition software at Bedford River Festival
An independent Ethics Panel will also be established to review the wider use of artificial intelligence (AI) in policing across Bedfordshire.
Mr Tizard said: “I am pleased that Bedfordshire Police has taken delivery of two specialist Live Facial Recognition vans as part of a Home Office rollout. This gives officers access to targeted, cutting-edge technology to catch high-harm criminals.
“As Police and Crime Commissioner, I have put strong governance in place to ensure the technology is used responsibly, with independent scrutiny and clear public accountability.”
Bedford Mayor Tom Wootton also welcomed the news. “I welcome anything that brings extra resourcing to the police in Bedford town centre to help keep our town safe and welcoming,” he said.
“I know this technology was a huge success when it was trialled at the River Festival, with no false alerts recorded. This initiative is part of the wider work that Bedford Borough Council is doing with our police, not just in Bedford but across the Borough.”
Future LFR deployment dates will be published online at: Bedfordshire Police: Live Facial Recognition.
