LONDON – Britain on Wednesday announced plans to introduce new laws and establish an independent watchdog to regulate police use of facial recognition technology, aiming to strengthen public safety while addressing concerns over privacy, fairness and discrimination.

Under the proposed legislation, police must use facial recognition in an intelligence-led, proportionate way, deploying the technology only when officers have reason to believe wanted individuals may be present in a particular area, according to the Home Office, Britain's interior ministry.

An independent watchdog will be established to oversee police use of facial recognition and other emerging technologies. In serious cases of non-compliance, the regulator could seek court injunctions to prevent police forces from using the technology.

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The government will also require law enforcement technologies to undergo rigorous independent testing for potential bias or discrimination based on age, gender or race. A new statutory code of practice will set consistent standards for police forces, while separate rules will govern the use of facial recognition by private businesses, including retailers.

The measures followed a public consultation that found strong support for the technology's effectiveness in catching offenders, alongside calls for stronger safeguards.

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Britain's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described facial recognition as the biggest breakthrough in catching criminals since DNA matching.

"The benefits are clear, but we must ensure that its use is fair, safe and proportionate," she said, adding that clearer laws would help build public confidence in the responsible use of the technology.

According to the Home Office, a trial of static live facial recognition cameras in Croydon, south London, between October 2025 and March 2026 resulted in 173 arrests, including suspects wanted for rape, kidnapping and sexual assault.

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London's Metropolitan Police also reported a 10.5 percent year-on-year decline in overall crime in the area during the trial period, including a 21 percent reduction in offenses linked to violence against women and girls.

The announcement followed an 11-million-pound (about $14.6 million) investment to triple the number of live facial recognition vans available to police forces in England and Wales.