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Expert rejects Met police claim that study backs bias-free live facial recognition use

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"Starmer might have to go in months."

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Professor Pete Fussey, who led the only independent academic review of police use of live facial recognition (LFR) and formerly reviewed the technology for the Metropolitan Police from 2018-19, has disputed the Met's claims that their LFR use is bias-free.

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Professor Pete Fussey, who led the only independent academic review of police use of live facial recognition (LFR) and formerly reviewed the technology for the Metropolitan Police from 2018-19, has disputed the Met's claims that their LFR use is bias-free.

The Metropolitan Police commissioned a 2023 study from the National Physical Laboratory that tested 178,000 images with 400 volunteers walking past cameras approximately 10 times each, totaling 4,000 recognition chances across five sites.</span

The Metropolitan Police commissioned a 2023 study from the National Physical Laboratory that tested 178,000 images with 400 volunteers walking past cameras approximately 10 times each, totaling 4,000 recognition chances across five sites.

The study found bias at a face-match threshold of 0.56, and at setting 0.6 discovered seven false positive cases where people were wrongly flagged as wanted, with all seven individuals being from ethnic minorities. Face-match thresholds are the numerical point where a system determines if a comparison between two faces is a match.

The study found bias at a face-match threshold of 0.56, and at setting 0.6 discovered seven false positive cases where people were wrongly flagged as wanted, with all seven individuals being from ethnic minorities. Face-match thresholds are the numerical point where a system determines if a comparison between two faces is a match.

The Met now operates LFR at a sensitivity setting of 0.64, which the NPL study claimed produced no false matches. However, Fussey alleges the data is "insufficient to support the claims being made" and that false matches "were not actually assessed at the settings they claim is free of bias."

The Met now operates LFR at a sensitivity setting of 0.64, which the NPL study claimed produced no false matches. However, Fussey alleges the data is "insufficient to support the claims being made" and that false matches "were not actually assessed at the settings they claim is free of bias."

The Home Office announced earlier this month <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2025/uk-police-deploy-new-facial-recognition-vans-nationwide">the rollout of 10 new Live Facial Recognition vans</a> to seven forces across England and Wales. There is currently no specific domestic legislation regulating police use of facial recognition technology.

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The Home Office announced earlier this month the rollout of 10 new Live Facial Recognition vans to seven forces across England and Wales. There is currently no specific domestic legislation regulating police use of facial recognition technology.

This comes as, during the first day of Notting Hill Carnival 2025, police made 140 total arrests with 13 following positive identifications using live facial recognition technology.

This comes as, during the first day of Notting Hill Carnival 2025, police made 140 total arrests with 13 following positive identifications using live facial recognition technology.

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The NPL study found bias at a sensitivity setting of 0.56, and at setting 0.6 discovered seven false positive cases where people were wrongly flagged as wanted, with all seven individuals being from ethnic minorities.</span

The NPL study found bias at a sensitivity setting of 0.56, and at setting 0.6 discovered seven false positive cases where people were wrongly flagged as wanted, with all seven individuals being from ethnic minorities.

The Met now operates LFR at a sensitivity setting of 0.64, which the NPL study indicated produced no false matches, though Fussey argues this setting was not adequately tested for bias assessment.</span

The Met now operates LFR at a sensitivity setting of 0.64, which the NPL study indicated produced no false matches, though Fussey argues this setting was not adequately tested for bias assessment.

The Home Office announced the rollout of 10 new Live Facial Recognition vans to seven forces across England and Wales, with the technology independently tested by NPL and found accurate without bias for ethnicity, age or gender.</span

The Home Office announced the rollout of 10 new Live Facial Recognition vans to seven forces across England and Wales, with the technology independently tested by NPL and found accurate without bias for ethnicity, age or gender.

During the first day of Notting Hill Carnival 2025, police made 140 total arrests with 13 arrests on the approaches following positive identifications using live facial recognition technology.</span

During the first day of Notting Hill Carnival 2025, police made 140 total arrests with 13 arrests on the approaches following positive identifications using live facial recognition technology.

Independent testing by the world-renowned National Physical Laboratory proves the technology works accurately without bias at current police settings. The Met has reformed its LFR use based on scientific findings and operates above bias thresholds. Real results show success with over 1,000 arrests in 2024 and false positive rates of just one in 33,000 cases.

Independent testing by the world-renowned National Physical Laboratory proves the technology works accurately without bias at current police settings. The Met has reformed its LFR use based on scientific findings and operates above bias thresholds. Real results show success with over 1,000 arrests in 2024 and false positive rates of just one in 33,000 cases.

Expert Challenges Met Police Claims on Facial Recognition Bias

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LFR offers targeted, non-discriminatory public safety benefits. Modern systems almost eliminate false positive rates while immediately discarding images of innocent civilians. Unlike intrusive stop-and-searches, LFR identifies actual offenders from specific databases without impacting law-abiding citizens. The science is clear, and Britain will be safer off for it.

LFR offers targeted, non-discriminatory public safety benefits. Modern systems almost eliminate false positive rates while immediately discarding images of innocent civilians. Unlike intrusive stop-and-searches, LFR identifies actual offenders from specific databases without impacting law-abiding citizens. The science is clear, and Britain will be safer off for it.

LFR represents an alarming expansion of mass surveillance without parliamentary approval. This Orwellian technology treats every citizen as a suspect, capturing biometric data from thousands of innocent people daily. Unregulated use of such technology holds the potential to produce chilling effects on democratic freedoms and must be stopped immediately.

LFR represents an alarming expansion of mass surveillance without parliamentary approval. This Orwellian technology treats every citizen as a suspect, capturing biometric data from thousands of innocent people daily. Unregulated use of such technology holds the potential to produce chilling effects on democratic freedoms and must be stopped immediately.

Met Polices Use Facial Recognition Tech Must Comply Human Rights Law Says Regulato

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Unprecedented Expansion of Facial Recognition Is Worrying for Democracy  Big Brother Watch

There is a 50% chance that the England and Wales prison population rate will be 129 per 100,000 people five years after Labour's general election victory, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There is a 50% chance that the England and Wales prison population rate will be 129 per 100,000 people five years after Labour's general election victory, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

UK: Expert Challenges Met Police Claims on Facial Recognition Bias

UK: Expert Challenges Met Police Claims on Facial Recognition Bias

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UK: Expert Challenges Met Police Claims on Facial Recognition Bias

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