Cheshire Police conduct First Live Facial Recognition Deployment Under Operation Vigilant

Cheshire Police has successfully completed the first of four planned Live Facial Recognition (LFR) deployments as part of Operation Vigilant, supporting efforts to protect vulnerable people, prevent crime and enhance public safety across the county.

The operation took place on Saturday 11th July in Chester city centre, and was supported by neighbourhood officers, the Sexual Offender Management Unit (SOMU), Project Servator officers, and Greater Manchester Police LFR operators.

The city experienced significant footfall throughout the day, providing an opportunity to utilise LFR technology to support policing objectives, identify individuals wanted for serious offences and safeguard those at risk.

In addition to operational activity, officers engaged with members of the public to explain how Live Facial Recognition technology works, the safeguards in place to protect privacy and how images are processed and managed. Visitors were also invited to view the technology in operation and speak directly with officers about the deployment.

The deployment delivered a number of positive outcomes, including three Community Resolutions for Class A drug possession offences and the seizure of an illegally used e-bike. There were also no reports of anti-social behaviour within the deployment area.

Officers supporting the operation also safeguarded a vulnerable woman after identifying behaviour that raised concerns for her welfare. Thanks to the officers involved, the woman was safely reunited with her friends. Although no arrest was made, the incident highlights the preventative and safeguarding-focused approach of Operation Vigilant.

The deployment demonstrated how Live Facial Recognition technology can support visible policing, proactive safeguarding and community safety. A further deployment is planned later this month and is expected to be the first in the UK to use authorised watchlist images from neighbouring police forces, strengthening cross-border collaboration and enhancing the ability to identify wanted individuals across force boundaries.

Detective Chief Inspector Robert Pritchard said: 

"Our aim under Operation Vigilant is to protect vulnerable people, safeguard those at risk and bring offenders to justice. The use of Live Facial Recognition technology strengthens our ability to achieve those objectives and helps us prevent harm before it occurs.

"This deployment forms part of our ongoing commitment to tackling violence against women and girls and ensuring our communities remain safe places to live, work and visit. The positive outcomes from this operation demonstrate the value of combining innovative technology with visible policing and proactive safeguarding.

"We are committed to using technology responsibly, proportionately and transparently to help keep people safe. As we continue to develop our Live Facial Recognition capability and work with partners across the region, we will be even better equipped to identify offenders, protect vulnerable people and prevent crime."