Live facial recognition technology to be used by police in Leighton Buzzard town centre for first time

Police say the system allows teams to use a live camera feed, alongside a predetermined watchlist of images of offenders, to identify and apprehend suspects.

The technology was first deployed in the county at the Bedford River Festival in 2024, and since then has been used in Luton, Bedford and Dunstable, although this weekend will be the first time it has been used in Leighton Buzzard.

According to Bedfordshire Police data, during its last use in Bedford town centre on Saturday, March 6, the technology registered 12,907 faces. This led to three alerts, with one confirmed positive and two unconfirmed positive, and led to one arrest or disposal.

The Leighton Buzzard Community Policing Team said: "We know that the use of the system in concerning for some, but the deployments and arrests so far show it is highly effective and helping in the fight to combat criminality. Let’s work together to keep our communities safe."

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