Eighteen people have been arrested during a two-day police operation using Live Facial Recognition technology in Chatham town centre.
Kent Police deployed two camera vans alongside local officers as part of its Clear, Hold, Build campaign, aimed at reducing Crime and targeting offenders in the area.
Of the 18 arrests, 11 were made directly after people were identified by the facial recognition cameras.
Those identified included people wanted in connection with violence and theft offences, as well as registered sex offenders suspected of breaching court-imposed restrictions.
One man was arrested after officers seized a knuckle duster.
Several other registered sex offenders were also stopped and checked to ensure they were complying with restrictions imposed under Sexual Harm Prevention Orders.
Police say all 27 alerts were accurate
Medway District Commander Chief Inspector Gary Woodward said: “The intention of using Live Facial Recognition technology was to support our ongoing success in reducing criminality and tackling those who cause the most harm to our communities.
“The multiple arrests including some serious and prolific offenders, shows this to have been an effective policing operation.”
Police said the cameras generated 27 alerts, with officers checking those identified on the street.
Chief Inspector Woodward said every alert generated during the operation was found to be accurate.
He added: “Members of the public who were not one of those on the specific list of people we were seeking, were not matched when they walked past the cameras. Their image was immediately and automatically deleted.”
Seven further arrests by officers
A further seven proactive arrests were made by officers patrolling Chatham during the deployment, bringing the total number of arrests to 18.
Officers and PCSOs also spoke with almost 200 members of the public who approached them to ask about the technology and operation.
Chief Inspector Woodward said the response was “mostly positive”, with many residents, shoppers and business owners telling officers they felt safer knowing the facial recognition operation was taking place.
