Britain’s biggest police force will more than double its use of live facial recognition to up to ten deployments a week.
Scotland Yard announced the move amid mass restructuring to cover the loss of 1,400 officers and 300 staff due to budget shortages.
The force will also deploy an extra 80 officers in the crime-ridden West End, where almost 15 per cent of the capital’s knife offences take place, according to a recent study.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said doubling the number of officers across iconic high streets such as Oxford Street would crack down on crimes including phone thefts, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.
Shoplifting hit a record high in 2024 with the number of offences surpassing 500,000 for the first time.
The Metropolitan Police is Britain’s largest force, which as of February had 33,201 officers, 11,319 staff, 1,460 police community support officers and 1,127 specials.
Sir Mark warned in April that the force is facing a £260 million budget shortfall, with cuts affecting the Royal Parks police and dedicated schools officers as a result.
Fifty officers will be moved to the anti-robbery Flying Squad, which will no longer lose its firearms officers as had initially been considered.
And live facial recognition will now be used up to ten times per week across five days, up from the current four times per week across two days.
The Mail revealed earlier this month that the technology is set to be used at Notting Hill Carnival in August for the first time in an unprecedented crackdown on violence at the annual event.
Visitors to Europe’s biggest street party will be scanned for wanted knife offenders, rapists, robbers and those suspected of serious violent crimes.
Last year there were eight stabbings, including one murder, and a second man was beaten and kicked to death.
The force has so far made 1,000 arrests using live facial recognition, of which 773 had led to charge or caution.
But civil liberties campaigners argue its use is an overreach.
Charlie Whelton, policy and campaigns officer at Liberty, said: ‘It’s incredibly concerning to see an expansion of facial recognition, especially at a time when there is a complete lack of regulation governing its use.
‘Any tech which has the potential to infringe on our rights in the way scanning and identifying millions of people does needs to have robust safeguards around its use, including ensuring that proper independent oversight is in place.
‘The Government must legislate now to regulate this technology, protect people’s rights, and make sure that the law on facial recognition does not get outpaced by the use.’
Sir Mark said: ‘The Met is getting smaller but more capable. We have a laser-like focus on ensuring our officers and staff are in roles where they can drive down crime on issues that matter the most to Londoners.
‘This is what the public expects of the police, which is why we are putting neighbourhood policing first, tackling the crimes that we know are impacting the public in the busiest areas, and making the capital’s streets safer.’