The Metropolitan Police Service’s Live Facial Recognition (LFR) has arrested more than 1,000 wanted criminals, 100 of which involved in serious violence against women and girls (VAWG) offences, such as stalking and domestic abuse.

Of those arrested thanks to LFR, 773 have been charged or cautioned, evidence of LFR’s position impact on London’s safety and community.

LFR works by capturing live footage of people passing by and comparing their faces against a list of wanted offenders, generating an alert if there is a match. Met officers then conduct further checks, like reviewing court orders or other relevant information, to determine if the person is a suspect. This element is key, as an alert does not warrant an arrest without thorough evaluation by real officers.

The Met implements robust safeguarding by immediately deleting data on members of the public who are not wanted by the police.

Crucially, LFR interventions don’t always result in arrest, as the tool is often used to stop people who are flagged from the watchlist who have conditions imposed by the courts, meaning police can ensure they are adhering to their conditions.

In London, a breach of conditions has been identified 21 per cent of the time.

Lindsey Chiswick, lead for LFR at the Met and nationally, said: “This milestone of 1,000 arrest is a demonstration of how cutting-edge technology can make London safer by removing dangerous offenders from our streets.

“Live Facial Recognition is a powerful tool, which is helping us deliver justice for victims, including those who have been subjected to horrendous offences, such as rape and serious assault.

“It is not saving our officers’ valuable time but delivering faster, more accurate results to catch criminals—helping us be more efficient than ever before.”