Why it matters: The technology allows police to quickly compare faces against a database of wanted individuals, potentially increasing efficiency in apprehending suspects while freeing up officers for other duties.
By the numbers:
Over 47,000 faces were scanned during the six-hour trial at the Cornhill
Five arrests were made — four for failing to appear before court and one for shop theft
Around 400 members of the public engaged with officers about the technology
How it works: The system compares live camera feeds against a predetermined "watch list" of people of interest. Images of individuals not on the list are automatically deleted within seconds.
What they're saying: Assistant Chief Constable Eamonn Bridger called the trial "a positive outcome" and said he was "optimistic that we will be using this technology again in the future."
"This innovative technology can play a vital role in protecting people, keeping them safe, investigating crimes, and getting justice for victims," Bridger said.
The other side: While the police reported most public reactions were positive, they acknowledged "a couple of exceptions" from members of the public who were not receptive to the technology.
For context: The equipment was borrowed from Essex Police for the trial, which took place on Saturday (22 Feb) at the Cornhill.
The details: Among the five arrests were individuals wanted for drink driving offences, theft, criminal damage, common assault, racially aggravated public order offences, possession of Class A drugs and dwelling burglary.
The bottom line: Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said: "This technology has huge potential to bring criminals to justice and to prevent crime, which I trust is welcomed by everyone."
