The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has announced a major expansion of drone operations, live facial recognition cameras, and AI video analysis across London to tackle crime more effectively.
Following a successful eight-month drone pilot in Islington, the Met now deploys nine drones weekly to over 200 incidents from three sites. The ambitious rollout aims for drone coverage in every London borough by next year, integrating with the blue light services’ emergency drone network.
Drones Transform Police Response
Since October, drones have significantly sped up police response times, now averaging less than two minutes. These flying cameras provide instant visuals, track suspects, and help officers make safer decisions. The Met plans to scale this capability citywide, making drones often the first resource on scene.
Live Facial Recognition Success
The police are also expanding the use of static live facial recognition (LFR) cameras, following proven results in Croydon, where LFR helped reduce crime by 10.5% and supported hundreds of arrests. Since early 2024, LFR has aided in locating over 2,000 dangerous offenders, including those wanted for serious crimes like rape and child abuse.
AI Accelerates Investigations
With roughly one million CCTV cameras across London, the Met deploys AI-powered analytics to rapidly scan footage, identifying suspects, vehicles, and events. So far, this technology has reduced video review time by 454 officer days in 23 major cases, allowing faster investigation progress and better evidence detection.
Call For National Reform
Commissioner Rowley warned that current legislation lags behind rapid technological advances, calling for clear, consistent principles with strong oversight and transparency. He highlighted an urgent need for increased technology funding, noting the Met invests less than half what other government agencies spend per person, risking falling behind organised criminals.
Political Backing And Public Support
London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, praised the Met’s tech leadership, highlighting record funding for innovations like e-bikes and body cameras. Public support for police technology remains high, with 87% backing drone use on 999 calls and 80% supporting new tech adoption.
Originally published by UKNIP.
