New watchdog to oversee facial recognition use
New watchdog to oversee police use of facial recognition technology.
The Home Office has announced new safeguards for facial recognition technology. The measures aim to ensure its fair and safe use by police and private businesses like shops.
New Watchdog to Oversee Police Use
An independent watchdog will be created. It will provide oversight of police use of facial recognition. The watchdog can also stop forces from using the technology if they do not comply with the rules. It will advise on standards, provide scrutiny, and make recommendations to ministers on emerging technologies and risks.
Police use of facial recognition must be intelligence-led and proportionate. Officers can only use it when they believe wanted individuals may be present in an area. While there are already legal requirements in place for facial recognition, they are set out across a vast patchwork system and in need of a clear, consistent set of laws.
Rigorous Testing for Bias
Technologies used by law enforcement will be rigorously and independently tested. This will check for bias or discrimination based on age, gender, or race.
These changes follow a public consultation. While people support the technology for catching criminals, there is a need for stronger safeguards to limit its use. Static live facial recognition cameras piloted in Croydon between October 2025 and March 2026 led to 173 arrests. The Met reported a 10.5% drop in overall crime in the area against the previous year.
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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said facial recognition is a major breakthrough. It helps police catch thousands of dangerous criminals. She stressed the need for fair, safe, and proportionate use. “It is right we put in place clear laws to ensure the use of this technology is watertight, so the public can have confidence that these tools, which are vital to our safety, are used responsibly too.
Private Sector Code of Practice
A separate legal Code for the private sector will be developed. This will ensure businesses using facial recognition do so responsibly and complement law enforcement efforts.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) welcomed the announcement. Chief executive Ed Woodall said the technology is a vital tool for retailers. It helps identify prolific offenders and alert other local businesses. In a submission to the Government earlier this year on facial recognition, the ACS welcomed plans to introduce a code of practice as a way to give retailers confidence that the technology providers they’re using are fully compliant with the law.
The convenience sector has long called for clarity on facial recognition use. This ensures retailers comply with GDPR and other privacy laws. The ACS will work with the Home Office on the new code.
Nick Fisher, chief executive of Facewatch, also welcomed the news. Facewatch is the UK’s largest provider of facial recognition to retailers. He said clear rules and oversight are vital for public trust. He added that the announcement allays concerns about a regulatory gap between police and private-sector use of the technology. Al Murray, director of agency PoliceAI, added that facial recognition technology is one of a number of proven capabilities that can help policing work more effectively to keep the public safe.
