Latest news with #LiveFacialRecognition
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cumbria Police to consult on use of facial recognition at Appleby Fair
Cumbria Police will be consulting with communities on the use of facial recognition technology during the Appleby Horse Fair. The force will be gathering views from the gypsy and traveller community on whether Live Facial Recognition (LFR) cameras should be deployed at future Appleby Horse Fairs. The technology will not be used during the 2025 event. Detective Superintendent Dan St Quintin, gold police commander for Appleby Horse Fair, said: "Whilst we are not deploying facial recognition during the 2025 Appleby Horse Fair, I want to gauge public opinion on its potential future use. "Therefore, we want to use the opportunity of the 2025 fair to reach out to all communities impacted by the fair to gauge opinion and feeling around the proposal. "As gold commander for the Appleby Horse Fair policing operation, it is my role to look each year at how we can enhance the safety of this event. "This technology has the potential to have a profoundly positive impact on our ability to keep people safe – by quickly identifying people who are suspected of committing a crime, have travelled here despite being wanted by the police, and by helping us to safeguard vulnerable people, including missing individuals. "However, policing by consent relies on public support for such measures, which is why we are asking for the public's views on our use of this technology in future Appleby Horse Fair policing operations." Live Facial Recognition works by using cameras to scan the faces of passers-by and instantly compare them against a curated database of individuals wanted by police. The technology could be used to identify people suspected of crimes, those wanted on warrant, or individuals reported missing. Billy Welch, a Gypsy and Traveller representative and member of the Multi Agency Co-ordinating Group (MASCG), said: "As the tenant of Fair Hill, I work with police and the council to keep Appleby Fair safe and enjoyable for everyone, for the sake of our children and grandchildren. "Wherever people gather in large numbers, CCTV and security cameras have become normal, and the technology has advanced so fast that facial recognition is now a fact of life. "If Cumbria Police can use it to identify criminality and troublemakers and keep them away from the fair, then I would support it. "People who have not committed any offence have nothing to worry about. "Some people might disagree, but whatever you think about this proposal, it is important that all points of view are heard, so I encourage everyone to take part in this survey so that police can measure public opinion before the fair next year." David Allen, Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner said: "As commissioner, I am the voice of the public in policing and fire services in the county, so I'm really pleased to see Cumbria Constabulary consulting with the public on their thoughts surrounding facial recognition. "I want to make it clear: this isn't a tool to spy on law-abiding members of the public. "I would like to encourage anyone at the fair and in Appleby to take part in the survey – we genuinely do want your opinions and for you to raise any concerns. "Let us work together to ensure that we can continue to keep Cumbria and Appleby Fair safe for everyone." People attending the fair, as well as those living in the area, will be able to take part in the survey. Written forms will be made available at the Tourist Information Centre in Appleby.
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Moment paedo arrested after being caught with six-year-old girl on street – before cops make terrifying discovery
THIS IS the moment where two police officers caught a known paedophile using Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology. The sex offender was picked up by officers who made a chilling discovery when they reached him. 5 Met Police used facial recognition technology to catch a registered sex offender Credit: Metropolitan Police 5 Police discovered the criminal with a six-year-old girl Credit: Metropolitan Police 5 The convicted sex offenders was discovered to have a knife hidden under his belt Credit: Metropolitan Police David Cheneler, 76, was found with a six-year-old girl in the shocking footage. The incident occurred on January 10, this year, in the busy Denmark Hill area of London. Officers can be heard telling him to 'keep his voice down' while he shouted and held an arm up to a female police officer. The known sex offender said that he was taking the girl 'from school to her mum' and claimed that they had taken the 'wrong bus'. Read More on UK News TOMMY CHARGED Tommy Robinson charged with harassment hours after judge agreed early release One cop responded by reminding Cheneler that he was banned from being alone with any child below the age of 14, due to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). Cheneler tried bargaining with the officers in the video, captured by a body cam, by offering to show them 'something you won't probably find'. In exchange, he asked the officers to 'undo him' - in a reference to his handcuffs. Following that, the registered sex offender made a chilling admission saying: 'It's a little knife, I've got on me'. Officers retrieved a lock knife from his belt buckle and before arresting him for breaching the order. The cop, who had told Cheneler to keep his voice down, read him his rights before hauling him to the station. The LFR technology had been fitted on a police van in Denmark Hill and was scanning for known offenders in the area. Further enquiries by cops uncovered that Cheneler had picked up the girl as a favour to her mother - something he had done twice before, after building up a relationship with them over a year. However, the unnamed girl's mother was unaware of the sex offender's SOPO. Cheneler was jailed for two years on May 20, after pleading guilty to possessing an offensive weapon and breaking the terms of his SOPO. 5 David Cheneler had previously been convicted of over 20 sex offences Credit: Metropolitan Police The Sexual Offences Prevention Order in 2019, after being convicted of 15 counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16. He had also been convicted of five counts of gross indecency with a child between 1968 and 1993, which led to a nine-year prison term, After Cheneler's arrest in 2025, the Met's lead for Live Facial Recognition said that the operation wouldn't have been possible without facial recognition. Lindsey Chiswick said: 'The Met is committed to making London safer, using data and technology to identify offenders that pose a risk to our communities. 'This is a prime example of the variety of uses for LFR. The tool is not only used to find those wanted, but also to stop people on a watch list who have conditions they must adhere to. 'These interventions are crucial. Without this technology, Cheneler may have had the opportunity to cause further harm.' Detective Constable Adam Pearce, who led the investigation, added: 'This is a prime example of how the Met is using technology to remove dangerous offenders from our streets, and Live Facial Recognition remains an important tool in protecting Londoners. 'Although there were no allegations made towards David Cheneler on this occasion, it's possible if he hadn't been identified using this technology, he could have gone on to abuse this child. 'Her mother was completely unaware of his offending history, and along with her young daughter, were both taken advantage of by Cheneler who abused their trust.'
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Moment paedo arrested after being caught with six-year-old girl on street – before cops make terrifying discovery
THIS IS the moment where two police officers caught a known paedophile using Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology. The sex offender was 5 Met Police used facial recognition technology to catch a registered sex offender Credit: Metropolitan Police 5 Police discovered the criminal with a six-year-old girl Credit: Metropolitan Police 5 The convicted sex offenders was discovered to have a knife hidden under his belt Credit: Metropolitan Police David Cheneler, 76, was found with a six-year-old girl in the shocking footage. The incident occurred on January 10, this year, in the busy Denmark Hill area of London. Officers can be heard telling him to 'keep his voice down' while he shouted and held an arm up to a female police officer. The known sex offender said that he was taking the girl 'from school to her mum' and claimed that they had taken the 'wrong bus'. Read More on UK News One cop responded by reminding Cheneler that he was banned from being alone with any child below the age of 14, due to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). Cheneler tried bargaining with the officers in the video, captured by a body cam, by offering to show them 'something you won't probably find'. In exchange, he asked the officers to 'undo him' - in a reference to his handcuffs. Following that, the registered sex offender made a chilling admission saying: 'It's a little knife, I've got on me'. Most read in The Sun Officers retrieved a lock knife from his belt buckle and before arresting him for breaching the order. The cop, who had told Cheneler to keep his voice down, read him his rights before hauling him to the station. The LFR technology had been fitted on a police van in Denmark Hill and was scanning for known offenders in the area. Further enquiries by cops uncovered that Cheneler had picked up the girl as a favour to her mother - something he had done twice before, after building up a relationship with them over a year. However, the unnamed girl's mother was unaware of the sex offender's SOPO. Cheneler was jailed for two years on May 20, after pleading guilty to possessing an offensive weapon and breaking the terms of his SOPO. 5 David Cheneler had previously been convicted of over 20 sex offences Credit: Metropolitan Police The Sexual Offences Prevention Order in 2019, after being convicted of 15 counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16. He had also been convicted of five counts of gross indecency with a child between 1968 and 1993, which led to a nine-year prison term, After Cheneler's arrest in 2025, the Met's lead for Live Facial Recognition said that the operation wouldn't have been possible without facial recognition. Lindsey Chiswick said: 'The Met is committed to making London safer, using data and technology to identify offenders that pose a risk to our communities. 'This is a prime example of the variety of uses for LFR. The tool is not only used to find those wanted, but also to stop people on a watch list who have conditions they must adhere to. 'These interventions are crucial. Without this technology, Cheneler may have had the opportunity to cause further harm.' Detective Constable Adam Pearce, who led the investigation, added: 'This is a prime example of how the Met is using technology to remove dangerous offenders from our streets, and Live Facial Recognition remains an important tool in protecting Londoners. 'Although there were no allegations made towards David Cheneler on this occasion, it's possible if he hadn't been identified using this technology, he could have gone on to abuse this child. 'Her mother was completely unaware of his offending history, and along with her young daughter, were both taken advantage of by Cheneler who abused their trust.' 5 Cheneler was sentenced to another two years behind bars Credit: Metropolitan Police
The Sun
21-05-2025
- The Sun
Moment paedo arrested after being caught with six-year-old girl on street – before cops make terrifying discovery
THIS IS the moment where two police officers caught a known paedophile using Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology. The sex offender was picked up by officers who made a chilling discovery when they reached him. 5 5 5 David Cheneler, 76, was found with a six-year-old girl in the shocking footage. The incident occurred on January 10, this year, in the busy Denmark Hill area of London. Officers can be heard telling him to 'keep his voice down' while he shouted and held an arm up to a female police officer. The known sex offender said that he was taking the girl 'from school to her mum' and claimed that they had taken the 'wrong bus'. One cop responded by reminding Cheneler that he was banned from being alone with any child below the age of 14, due to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). Cheneler tried bargaining with the officers in the video, captured by a body cam, by offering to show them 'something you won't probably find'. In exchange, he asked the officers to 'undo him' - in a reference to his handcuffs. Following that, the registered sex offender made a chilling admission saying: 'It's a little knife, I've got on me'. Officers retrieved a lock knife from his belt buckle and before arresting him for breaching the order. The cop, who had told Cheneler to keep his voice down, read him his rights before hauling him to the station. The LFR technology had been fitted on a police van in Denmark Hill and was scanning for known offenders in the area. Further enquiries by cops uncovered that Cheneler had picked up the girl as a favour to her mother - something he had done twice before, after building up a relationship with them over a year. However, the unnamed girl's mother was unaware of the sex offender's SOPO. Cheneler was jailed for two years on May 20, after pleading guilty to possessing an offensive weapon and breaking the terms of his SOPO. 5 The Sexual Offences Prevention Order in 2019, after being convicted of 15 counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16. He had also been convicted of five counts of gross indecency with a child between 1968 and 1993, which led to a nine-year prison term, After Cheneler's arrest in 2025, the Met's lead for Live Facial Recognition said that the operation wouldn't have been possible without facial recognition. Lindsey Chiswick said: 'The Met is committed to making London safer, using data and technology to identify offenders that pose a risk to our communities. 'This is a prime example of the variety of uses for LFR. The tool is not only used to find those wanted, but also to stop people on a watch list who have conditions they must adhere to. 'These interventions are crucial. Without this technology, Cheneler may have had the opportunity to cause further harm.' Detective Constable Adam Pearce, who led the investigation, added: 'This is a prime example of how the Met is using technology to remove dangerous offenders from our streets, and Live Facial Recognition remains an important tool in protecting Londoners. 'Although there were no allegations made towards David Cheneler on this occasion, it's possible if he hadn't been identified using this technology, he could have gone on to abuse this child. 'Her mother was completely unaware of his offending history, and along with her young daughter, were both taken advantage of by Cheneler who abused their trust.'
