Hammersmith and Fulham facial recognition plans approved for CCTV upgrade
The Hammersmith and Fulham facial recognition programme has been approved as part of a multi-million-pound CCTV upgrade. The council agreed more than £3m to enhance the camera network, which already numbers over 2,000 devices across the borough.
Live facial recognition cameras will be placed at crime hotspots, matching faces against a defined police database in real time. Ten locations are listed for two cameras each, including outside Shepherd’s Bush Market on Uxbridge Road and on Wood Lane near Westfield.
Officials say the rollout is contingent on support from the Metropolitan Police. The Met is already running a static live facial recognition pilot in Croydon, with analysis due later this year.
A wider AI upgrade is planned for about 500 cameras to speed up playback, track vehicles and improve operator response. The cabinet report says this will enable retrospective facial recognition searches across H&F’s network to help trace routes taken by suspects.
Civil liberties campaigners have raised concerns. One group called the plan “an unprecedented level of mass surveillance” that risks “the end of privacy in public space.” A local resident told BBC London that cameras feel “after the fact,” adding they would prefer more preventative measures.
Supporters argue the changes will improve evidence gathering and reassurance. Another resident said they were “really happy” about the use of live facial recognition, believing it will help identify people involved in unsafe behaviour near stations and busy areas.
Council leader Stephen Cowan told colleagues the aim is to secure stronger evidence for a criminal justice system under strain. “Having better evidence, having evidence that goes above and beyond, is just one of the things that we are aiming to do,” he said.
The cabinet paper also recommends drones as an enforcement aid, subject to Civil Aviation Authority approval.
Key points
- Funding: £3m+ approved to enhance CCTV.
- Scale: 2,000+ cameras in operation.
- Live facial recognition: planned at hotspot sites, police-database matching.
- AI features: faster review, vehicle tracking, retrospective searches.
- Conditions: rollout depends on police support and aviation approvals for drones.
For readers who want to understand the legal framework for surveillance technology in public spaces, see this guidance.
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