Hertfordshire Constabulary has announced it will trial Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology for the first time next month, in a one-day pilot aimed at strengthening efforts to tackle serious crime across the county — including here in Hitchin and the wider North Herts area.

The force says the tech-enabled approach will support officers in identifying individuals wanted for violent or sexual offences, or those subject to court orders, including registered sex offenders.

LFR works by comparing faces captured on camera with images held on a secure, operation-specific "Watchlist". Police stress that:

• Each deployment has a new Watchlist tailored to that operation
• There is no permanent database
• If no alert is triggered, biometric data is deleted immediately
• Even when an alert is generated, data is deleted within 24 hours
• A police officer always makes the final decision before any interaction with the public

Deputy Chief Constable Andy Mariner said the December pilot would help the force better understand how the technology could support frontline policing: "We're pleased to announce a trial of Live Facial Recognition in Hertfordshire. This initial trial will take place in a single location for one day, after which we will review its effectiveness. We understand the community may have questions. Officers will be on hand during the deployment to engage with the public. LFR provides a powerful tool to identify and detain wanted individuals quickly, helping to keep Hertfordshire's communities safe."

He added that while it's new to Hertfordshire, LFR has been used by other forces for several years and "now exceeds expectations for accuracy and reliability".

Police & Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards also welcomed the move: "It is good to see the constabulary embracing new technology to keep people safe. I understand that some in the community may have concerns, and as PCC I will scrutinise how it is used — including at my Accountability & Performance Meeting on 11 December."

He confirmed a community meeting will be held once the deployment location is published.

When and where?

To maintain transparency, Hertfordshire Constabulary will publish the date and location of the trial seven days in advance, in line with national guidelines.

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More information and FAQs about LFR can be found on the Hertfordshire Constabulary website.