- The Metropolitan Police is set to more than double its use of live facial recognition technology, increasing deployments from four to up to ten times per week.
- This expansion is part of a significant restructure by the Met, necessitated by budget shortages and the loss of 1,400 officers and 300 staff.
- The force has reported 1,000 arrests using live facial recognition to date, with 773 leading to a charge or caution, which Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley defends as targeting serious offenders.
- As part of the overhaul, officers will also be redeployed to bolster public order crime teams, increasing from 48 to 63, due to a rise in protest-related incidents.
- Additionally, officers are being moved to neighbourhood teams in areas like the West End and other crime hotspots to address street crime, including phone thefts, anti-social behaviour, and record-high shoplifting.
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