Marino

London is preparing a six-month pilot where officers can use handheld facial recognition to verify identity during encounters. City Hall argues quick verification can prevent unnecessary arrests when someone can’t easily prove who they are. Critics argue it could normalize face scanning in everyday policing and widen the impact of stop-and-check, especially if oversight and reporting are weak.

People often talk past each other on this topic. Some want an outright pause. Others want a tightly limited pilot that either proves itself under strict scrutiny or stops. Another group wants expansion sooner. The details that matter most are concrete: where it can be used, when the public sees results, and what triggers a stop.

This proposal sets three linked choices. First, the overall stance on the pilot. Second, where it is allowed to operate. Third, when the first public review must happen, so governance is not pushed to the end after habits form.

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London handheld facial recognition pilot: choose limits, places, and review dates