In a groundbreaking move, the United Kingdom’s largest police force is deploying cutting-edge facial recognition technology to apprehend habitual shoplifters. The Metropolitan Police, in partnership with 12 prominent retailers, recently initiated a pilot program employing this innovative software.
Under this initiative, retailers provided images of 30 of their most notorious shoplifting culprits, who were known for repeatedly targeting their stores. These images were cross-referenced against the police’s custody shots, and the results are nothing short of astonishing. Out of the 302 images submitted, an impressive 149 yielded positive matches.
The implicated individuals are now under close scrutiny, with a view to building criminal cases against them.
The beauty of this software lies in its ability to use biometric measurements of a person’s face, even when parts of the face are concealed. Remarkably, it takes a mere 60 seconds to pinpoint a match.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley enthused about the project, saying, “We are forging partnerships with retailers across the capital to trailblaze a new era of crime tracking. By pushing the boundaries and harnessing innovation and technology, we can swiftly identify and combat criminals. The preliminary results we’ve witnessed are truly game-changing, and the application of facial recognition in this manner could revolutionize our crime-solving capabilities.”
Additionally, Sir Mark claimed that many of these habitual offenders are involved in more serious criminal activities, further underscoring the importance of this initiative.
ALSO READ: GSI Technology Unveils Game-Changing AI Chip: Gemini-II Breakthrough Sparks Memes and Market Buzz
Chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, James Lowman, recognized the time-saving potential of this technology for law enforcement but emphasized that the challenge lies in removing these criminals from the streets. “The time police spend linking crimes across different local businesses can be significantly reduced by using artificial intelligence to identify habitual offenders,” he explained. The actual challenge, though, is still finding these criminals and getting them off our streets.”
The Metropolitan Police began using this software in August, launching the retail pilot program in late September. The system is versatile, capable of using images from CCTV, dashcams, doorbell cameras, or smartphones. It utilizes the same algorithm as the Met’s live facial recognition technology, which has previously faced concerns about potential bias.
Lindsey Chiswick, the director of intelligence for the Met and the national policing lead on facial recognition, assured that the algorithm underwent independent testing by the National Physical Laboratory, highlighting its unparalleled accuracy for retrospective usage.
Shoplifting remains a persistent issue, with around 50,000 incidents reported to the Met last year. This number is estimated to represent only a fraction of the actual offenses committed.
While the technology has been hailed as a significant breakthrough, human rights charity Liberty, known for their stance against facial recognition, voiced concerns about the implications of such technology in society. Emmanuelle Andrews from Liberty argued, “Facial recognition has no place in our streets, stores, or any other facets of our lives. This technology threatens our privacy and stifles free speech. We should all be concerned about its expanding influence. We must remember that we cannot rely solely on technology to solve profound societal issues; this is an unjustifiable expansion of state surveillance, and alternative approaches should be explored.
ALSO READ: Unveiling the Top 5 UX/UI Trends Shaping 2023 – Stay Ahead of the Game!
