Complaints against officers

[Techie1 + 2,024]

Firm behind the real-time anti-terror software has begun discussions with forces about introducing the new technology.

The software can also provide gender and indicative age for unknown people identified. (Credit: Digital Barriers)

A tech company which has developed software to live stream footage incorporating facial recognition says it will bring “Hollywood” into reality for law enforcement.

Digitial Barriers, a global tech firm specialising in visual surveillance and security, has developed real time video and integrated surveillance which it is now looking to introduce to UK police forces.

The software can pick out and identify hundreds of individual faces at a time, instantly checking them against registered databases or registering unique individuals in seconds.

Demonstrating the software at the Forensics Europe Expo 2017, vice president of Digital Barriers Manuel Magalhaes said the company was introducing the technology to UK forces.

He said: “For the first time they (law enforcement) can use any surveillance asset including a body worn camera or a smartphone and for the first time they can do real time facial recognition without having the need to control the subject or the environment.

“In real time you can spot check persons of interests on their own or in a crowd.

“We have sold this as a counter terrorism device initially and we have a contract with one of the major law enforcement agencies in Europe, now it is at the right maturity level for us to go to that (UK) market and we have shown it informally to a few police stakeholders.

 “If you’re using a HD camera and have a crowd 300 or 400 people we can do a match on people in that crowd and if they are not on the database we can give gender and indicative age.

“Now Hollywood is possible with the stuff in terms of what we used to think was not possible.”

The software is only limited by the quality of the camera which is providing the images and has already proved popular in the middle with the company winning a massive contract with Careem, a taxi service akin to Uber.

Mr Magalhaes continued: “If we can overcome facial recognition issues in the Middle East, we can solve any facial recognition problem here in the United Kingdom.

“We are number one in terms of real time cellular network streaming and we are putting this technology in a body worm camera for the first time.

“Instead of you having to finish your shift, take your body word worn to a station and upload it, that’s the past, that’s time consuming and expensive.

“Instead of that you just press a button and your commander or colleagues can see what you can see wherever you are in the world.

“If something happens you need to see it immediately. This will change policing in a big way. We have the facial recognition and the video coding that no one else has.

“It isn’t the technology that is going to push this, it’s the cost save for the agencies because for the first time they will be able to do things in real-time. They can do more with less police officers.”

View on police oracle

[Rocket + 6,403]

Great idea, but we don't have the hardware to make this work so I can make software to spot unicorns whilst on duty which is equally as pointless.

[Shmook + 532]

The software may be there, but the signal strength isn't... Good old EE.

[Indiana Jones + 1,082]

I can't even log in to Outlook first time. How they think we can make the rest work I don't know.

[Sherlock 117]

Are we ready for this yet? We have a debate on another thread about the cost of hats, and BWV and Taser has been documented, let alone something at this level.

Another thing we're not very astute with is procurement and costing. We'd rather waste £50M+ on a concept/BETA/First Draft rather than wait and invest more on something a little more refined and value for money.

Mr Rocket is absolutely on the money.

Walk. Then run.


-Sherlock
Sent from my iPhone using Police Community

[MerseyLLB 8,426]

Isnt this a bit...orwellian?

I think most of us support its use for CT or under authorisation for serious crime but to have it strapped on BWV...I don't feel comfortable.

[Shmook + 532]

I wouldn't say it's orwellian, more akin to a pnc check over the radio and getting a description,  or doing it yourself on your handheld device and pulling up their picture.

[Growley + 2,436]

I wouldn't say it's orwellian, more akin to a pnc check over the radio and getting a description,  or doing it yourself on your handheld device and pulling up their picture.

Do you PNC entire crowds?

[Sherlock 117]

Do you PNC entire crowds?

 

No, but if the capability was there (as with ANPR) then why not?

 

I'm concerned that we will buy first generation rubbish at a high cost. If it were to be refined and sensible, and after we've got other priorities sorted first, I don't see an issue.

 

Lots of people bemoan about data storage and processing and cite 'Orwell' but I can't understand why. You're not of interest if your name is Joe Bloggs.

 

 

-Sherlock

Sent from my iPhone using Police Community

[Shmook + 532]

22 minutes ago, Growley said:

Do you PNC entire crowds?

Fair point!

[Zulu 22 + 4,571]

Well they cannot even get Airwaves right.

[MerseyLLB 8,426]

I do not PNC convicted criminals every time I pass them in the street.

To do so, I contend would be unlawful.

I cannot see how this is different.

[Growley + 2,436]

 
No, but if the capability was there (as with ANPR) then why not?

Because consistently accessing information about individuals without a specific purpose is far more intrusive, and I suspect potentially unlawful.
 

Lots of people bemoan about data storage and processing and cite 'Orwell' but I can't understand why. You're not of interest if your name is Joe Bloggs.
 
 
-Sherlock
Sent from my iPhone using Police Community

I can see perfectly well why people cite Orwell in reference to intrusive gathering of intelligence. What started as a dystopia has arguably become the modern world in many respects.

[SD + 687]

I'm guessing it would be more like ANPR in that there would be seperate WM database that gets searched. 

[MerseyLLB 8,426]

7 hours ago, SD said:

I'm guessing it would be more like ANPR in that there would be seperate WM database that gets searched. 

That's not how the technology has been sold.

I think, at a stretch, I might be okay with facial recognition being linked to a database with PNC backdoor...with wanted markers alerting and all.other identifiers being immediately discarded.

However, if it were based solely on force systems which hold ALOT of unconvicted photographed persons I can't help but feel it would be an overstep of the mark.

I think it would potentially increase persons using disguises as a kickback against the devices...which would actually cause alot more problems than it would solve. You may find it doubtful but plenty of ordinary people now run VPNs and run deep Web browsers to avoid state/commercial data mining. It might only be a specific demographic who chose to fight back. For example, IR hats have grown evermore available to defeat what is seen as the CCTV state. The first time I saw one in action it surprised me!