Croydon's North End, a pedestrian street, is poised to trial the UK's first permanent facial recognition cameras as part of a crime reduction strategy. Scheduled for installation later this summer, the cameras will capture biometric data from passersby, comparing it to a watchlist and triggering alerts if matches are found. Despite concerns over privacy, many local shopkeepers and shoppers are unaware of the impending changes, though surveys indicate public support for increased security measures due to rising crime rates. Recent data shows that the use of facial recognition technology by police has escalated significantly over the last year.
According to the south London borough's most recent violence reduction strategy, North End and nearby streets are its primary crime hotspot.
The plan to install the permanent cameras later this summer for a trial period is not an emergency initiative.
Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal a major escalation in the use of facial recognition in the last 12 months.
Surveys suggest the public, fed up with a rise in crime, is broadly on side with the increasing use of surveillance technology.
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