The Conservative party is advocating for a significant increase in the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement to aid in criminal investigations. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has proposed that officers be required to run all suspect images captured by CCTV, mobile phones, or doorbells through facial recognition software.
Philp's plan, part of the proposed "Take Back Our Streets" initiative, also includes mandates for officers to follow up on geo-tagged stolen items, such as phones, laptops, tablets, bikes, and cars, when their location is registered at a suspect's address. Additionally, the proposal aims to address the sale of stolen goods that are openly advertised.
The Conservatives claim this plan would be supported by 10,000 additional police officers, funded by an annual budget of £800 million. "The public expects clear evidence to always be followed up," Philp stated. "When they show the police an image of a suspect or the location of stolen goods they want action, not just a crime number."
Philp noted the existence of a facial recognition database containing approximately 10 million individuals' images, which can be processed using artificial intelligence. However, he emphasized that a key missing element is a requirement for police forces to consistently utilize this technology. He also indicated that officers would be mandated to investigate when a stolen device's location pings an address and to pursue online listings of stolen goods for recovery.
A spokesperson for the Home Office stated that the government is already making substantial investments in facial recognition technology and is working to reduce crime. Labour has pledged to hire an additional 13,000 neighborhood police officers by the end of the current parliamentary term, following an increase of 3,814 officers hired between April 2025 and March of the current year.