Crime panel concerned over forces use of AI

Cheshire's police and crime panel has raised concerns around the force's use of live facial recognition and AI and the impact on human rights.

The panel's role is to hold the police and crime commissioner to account.

At a meeting at Macclesfield Town Hall where commissioner Dan Price (Lab) was providing an update on how he is delivering his police and crime plan, panel members were told Cheshire is one of the safest counties in the UK.

Mr Price said overall crime was down by four per cent, there had been a 15 per cent reduction in shoplifting, 12 per cent reduction in knife crime, eight per cent reduction in burglaries and vehicle offences had fallen by seven per cent.

But panel chair Judy Snowball (CEC, Lab) questioned the use of live facial recognition.

She was particularly concerned about a statement in the report which said 'the technology helps officers identify wanted individuals and those who may pose a risk to the public’.