The Metropolitan Police say they made an arrest every 35 minutes during a six‑month live facial recognition (LFR) pilot in Croydon, as the force pushes ahead with expanded use of the controversial technology.
Figures released by the force on 12 May show officers arrested 173 people across 24 operations between October 2025 and March 2026, after deploying static cameras in the south London borough for the first time.
Police said those detained included suspects wanted for serious offences such as rape, kidnap and sexual assault, alongside individuals breaching court conditions.
Traditionally, LFR deployments rely on mobile police vans equipped with cameras and computing systems. But during the Croydon pilot, officers mounted cameras on lampposts and other existing street infrastructure, allowing more flexible and frequent operations.
The force said the change meant specialist vans could be redeployed elsewhere while maintaining a continued LFR presence in the area.
According to the Met, crime in Croydon fell by 10.5% over the pilot period compared with the previous year, with offences related to violence against women and girls dropping by 21%.
Officials argue the figures demonstrate the technology’s effectiveness in targeting repeat offenders and preventing crime in hotspot areas. Around 61% of the offences linked to arrests were committed within Croydon itself, suggesting the system helped identify local suspects.
Lindsey Chiswick, the Met’s lead for live facial recognition, said the results showed the tool could “identify serious offenders quickly and focus resources where they make the biggest impact”.
More than 470,000 people passed by the cameras during the trial period, with police recording just one false alert, which officers said was quickly resolved without arrest.
The Met stressed that watchlists used in the system are intelligence-led, created shortly before deployments and deleted afterwards. Cameras are only switched on when officers are present, and engagement teams operate on the ground to explain the technology to the public.
Following the trial, police plan to continue using static cameras in Croydon as part of routine LFR deployments. The borough was selected due to its status as a crime hotspot and previous success with the technology. The force said it will continue holding public briefings with residents and local officials as part of efforts to maintain transparency around its use as the expanded use of facial recognition technology remains contentious, with critics raising concerns about privacy, proportionality and potential misuse.
