Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has introduced the technology to help identify wanted individuals, protect vulnerable people and support investigations.
The Home Office has supplied the force with two live facial recognition (LFR) vans, which will be deployed in Sale town centre on October 21 and 23.
Assistant Chief Constable Rick Jackson said: “At GMP, we use traditional policing tools but also embrace new and developing technology.
“This is a really good example of police officers and technology working hand-in-hand and will bolster our neighbourhood policing operation.
“LFR can be used in a number of ways, including to prevent and detect crime, find wanted criminals, safeguard vulnerable people, and to protect people from harm.
“It will also free up officers to respond to emergencies, spend time patrolling within their communities, and investigating crime.”
The LFR cameras will scan specific areas or crowds and compare faces against a pre-prepared watchlist. If there is a match, an alert is issued immediately.
There is no recording or rewind facility, and photos will be deleted within 24 hours so there can be no retrospective comparison.
Mr Jackson said: “It’s important that we dispel any myths around LFR and to be open and transparent with members of the public.
“It is not a ‘mass surveillance’ tool and law-abiding members of the public have nothing to fear if they see one our vans.
“We are committed to using it responsibly, transparently, and in full compliance with the law.”
The technology has been used by the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police since 2017 and is currently being trialled by GMP and other forces.
In August 2024, it was endorsed by the Greater Manchester Independent Police Ethics Committee.
Kate Green, deputy mayor of Greater Manchester for safer and stronger communities, said: “Live facial recognition technology represents a significant step forward in our efforts to keep Greater Manchester safe.
“I welcome the robust ethical oversight and transparency measures in place, including publicising deployment schedules and ensuring biometric data is not stored.
“This is about responsible innovation – enhancing public safety while protecting civil liberties.
“I fully support GMP’s commitment to using LFR in a way that builds trust and confidence across Greater Manchester.”
