FOOTBALL fans can expect to have their faces scanned by live facial recognition cameras in a bid to catch dangerous criminals as the new tech is rolled out across the country.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones told The Sun that the software could “absolutely” become a regular occurrence outside Premier League fixtures in the future.
The technology scans thousands of faces and searches for matches on lists of those wanted for crime or those handed banning orders.
It could also mean that anyone on the prevent watchlist could potentially be apprehended before making their way into a crowded stadium full of fans.
The Sun saw the cameras in action in Cardiff this week where they have already been used to police Six Nations matches at the Principality Stadium.
Vans are set up on the streets leading to the venue, meaning anyone making their way there will have their face scanned.
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Chief Superintendent Marc Attwell for South Wales Police told The Sun that their watch list ranged from people wanted for murder and rape to high risk missing people.
His force was one of the first in the country to deploy live facial recognition (LFR) vans to big events.
Police caught two men who were wanted for rape during a deployment of the tech near to nightclubs and bars on Wednesday night.
Last weekend retrospective facial recognition was used by South Wales Police to identify a man suspected of attempted kidnap within minutes of the alleged victim reporting it to cops.
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Officers also now have access to an app which can be used to identify someone they come into contact with if they refuse to give their name.
The tech was used by Merseyside Police last month when Everton hosted Manchester United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Metropolitan Police used it at the north London derby last year and it will be used by Cumbria Police at tomorrow’s fixture between Carlisle United and Southend United.
Some football fans have been opposed to the roll-out – with the Football Supporters’ Association calling for it to be banned for use at the turnstiles.
They want the tech to be halted until “transparent and meaningful dialogue has taken place at a national level with fans, leagues, the FA, civil rights groups and the Information Commissioner’s Office on its legality and privacy concerns.”
Asked if it could become a common occurrence outside football stadiums, Ms Jones said: “I think we will see it rolled out much more, absolutely.
“The commitment that this government has made is to introduce 50 more vans across the country that can be deployed in the same way as the van that we saw here today and I think people use it in events, they use it at football matches as you say, big music events but also we just use it on the streets and deploy it and it’s remarkable what the results are if we keep using it.
“It’s also very useful looking for missing people. So it’s got a range of uses but we know it works and it’s a really effective use of new technology.”
Asked if it could be used to spot criminals heading into Cheltenham races or Wimbledon tennis championships, Jones said: “It could be used, I mean the challenge is for us to get the technology out there and start using it as quickly as we can. The challenge is the number of places you can use it.
“It’s just making sure we’re rolling out the tech where we need to.
“In my part of the world, in South London, we’ve got it fixed in Croydon where you can see, it’s there all the time, not deployed all the time but it’s a really useful tool and I think the police will just increasingly be using it.”
The video vans were deployed at London’s Notting Hill Carnival last summer despite criticism from human rights groups.
Campaigning group Liberty has called the use of the technology an “enormous infringement of privacy”.
LFR is currently being used by 15 out of 43 police forces in the UK, but the Home Office announced in January that it will be available across the country.
South Wales police and crime commissioner, Emma Wools said: “Live facial recognition is now a vital and effective tool in keeping our communities safe and ensuring offenders are brought to justice. Criminals are using increasingly advanced technology to evade prosecution. Policing has to match that pace, and LFR helps us do exactly that.”
