Welsh police forces have become the first in the UK to deploy a facial recognition app that allows officers to confirm people's identities using their smartphones, sparking privacy concerns from civil rights groups.
The Operator Initiated Facial Recognition (OIFR) app is being rolled out by South Wales Police and Gwent Police after initial testing by 70 officers. The technology enables police to take photos of individuals and match them against a database of custody images.
Police say the app will help quickly identify unconscious or deceased persons to notify families, as well as assist in apprehending wanted suspects. They also claim it can rapidly resolve cases of mistaken identity without requiring trips to police stations.
However, civil liberties organizations have raised alarms about the technology's implications. Big Brother Watch warns the app creates a concerning "imbalance between public rights and police powers," while Liberty describes it as a "deeply invasive breach of privacy rights."
The software works by capturing a "probe image" of a face and measuring biometric features to compare against police databases. While authorities maintain photos won't be retained and usage in private spaces will be limited to serious situations, critics argue the technology threatens citizens' right to anonymity.
This rollout follows a 2020 Court of Appeal ruling that found South Wales Police's previous use of automatic facial recognition was unlawful, though the court determined its benefits could outweigh privacy impacts in proportionate applications.
Police leadership emphasizes the app will only be used when "necessary and proportionate" with human oversight. They report testing showed no racial, age or gender bias, with robust scrutiny processes in place.
As the first deployment of mobile facial recognition by UK police forces, the initiative sets a precedent that could shape how law enforcement nationwide balances new identification capabilities with civil liberties protections.