The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) claims that local residents and councillors support the deployment of live facial recognition (LFR) technology in Lewisham. However, a community impact assessment (CIA) obtained by Computer Weekly reveals minimal consultation with the community, prompting concerns from elected officials.
Councillors expressed frustration over the lack of engagement before the announcement that LFR was to be deployed, despite the MPS' assertion of broad support after several briefings. The CIA highlights mixed community opinions and notes potential opposition to LFR, with only seven meetings held mostly with council bodies rather than the public. Councillor Hau-Yu Tam criticized the MPS' consultation efforts as insufficient and primarily promotional, arguing that it has not genuinely engaged the community or addressed their concerns.
In statement responding to the news, Jake Hurfurt, head of research and investigations at Big Brother Watch (BBW) said, "it doesn’t demonstrate very good engagement at all."
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