Open data
The whole tracker, free to download and reuse. Files are generated from the live record each time they are requested, so they are never out of date.
Downloads
How to cite
Cite the dataset as a whole, or cite an individual record from its own page, where each has a permanent address and a short code (for example PAI-3F2A9C1E).
PoliceAI News. (2026). Police AI Deployment Tracker [Data set]. Retrieved 4 November 2026, from https://www.policeainews.com/tracker
@misc{policeai_tracker_2026,
author = {{PoliceAI News}},
title = {Police AI Deployment Tracker},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Data set},
url = {https://www.policeainews.com/tracker},
note = {Accessed 4 November 2026}
}
Data dictionary
How records are madeFields in tracker.csv and tracker.json. Names are stable and will not be changed; new fields may be added at the end.
| Field | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| id | Permanent identifier of the record. Never reused. | 769d5a66b490c6af |
| code | Short citable code, PAI- followed by the first eight characters of the id. | PAI-769D5A66 |
| force | The police force or public body using the system. One body per record. | British Transport Police |
| country | Country name, or Multi-country, European Union or International for records that are not about one country. | United Kingdom |
| country_code | Two-letter code (ISO 3166-1, with uk for the United Kingdom), or other, eu, int. | uk |
| is_country | true when country_code is a single country. | true |
| region | Area within the country, where the source gives one. | London rail and Underground network |
| technology | The system or capability, as described by the source. | Live Facial Recognition |
| technology_slug | Identifier of the technology reference entry, where one exists (see technologies.json). | live-facial-recognition |
| vendor | Supplier as named in the source, with any detail it gives. | NEC (NeoFace M40) |
| vendor_slug | Identifier of the principal supplier, where it has been matched to the supplier list. | nec |
| programme | Shared programme or contract name, where several records belong to one programme. | |
| status | One of: operational, trial, paused, discontinued, proposed, developing. | trial |
| stage | in-use (operational, trial, paused), withdrawn (discontinued) or horizon (proposed, developing). | in-use |
| evidence | Kind of source: official, regulator, court, parliament, procurement, foi, journalism, academic, ngo, company, social. Blank where not yet classified. | official |
| evidence_is_claim | true when the source is the supplier's own material or a social media post. | false |
| since | When use began, as precisely as the source allows (usually a year). | 2026 |
| legal_basis | The legal power or framework cited for the use, where stated. | Common law policing powers; DPA 2018 Part 3 |
| oversight | Oversight, audit or governance arrangements, where stated. | Internal governance and external engagement with ethics and |
| notes | Context, caveats and later developments. | A time-limited trial running from February 2026 to November |
| source | Name of the principal source. | British Transport Police facial recognition page; Biometric |
| source_url | Link to the principal source. | https://www.btp.police.uk/police-forces/british-transport-po |
| last_checked | Date the record was last confirmed against its source (YYYY-MM-DD). | 2026-11-04 |
| record_url | The record's page on policeainews.com. | https://www.policeainews.com/tracker/record/769d5a66b490c6af |
Statuses and evidence types
| Status | Definition |
|---|---|
Operationaloperational | In routine use by the named body, on the evidence of a public source. |
Trialtrial | Being tested in live conditions under a time-limited pilot or trial. |
Pausedpaused | Use suspended, with no evidence it has ended. |
Discontinueddiscontinued | Use has ended, on the evidence of a public source. |
Proposedproposed | Planned by a named body: a procurement, approved budget, announced pilot or consultation. Not yet in use. |
In developmentdeveloping | Being researched, built, tested or marketed for police use. No police body has confirmed using it. |
| Evidence | What it covers |
|---|---|
Official publicationofficial | Police force, government department or public body publication |
Regulator findingregulator | Data protection authority, inspectorate or oversight body |
Court recordcourt | Judgment, filing or affidavit |
Parliamentary recordparliament | Hansard, committee evidence, written answers |
Procurement recordprocurement | Contract award, tender or framework notice |
FOI disclosurefoi | Freedom of information response |
Journalismjournalism | Named reporting by a reputable outlet |
Academic researchacademic | Peer-reviewed study or university research |
Civil society reportngo | Report by a human rights or civil liberties organisation |
Company claimcompany | The supplier's own website, press release or case study. Shown as a claim. |
Social media claimsocial | A post by the company, force or an official account. Shown as a claim. |
Recently checked records
All records by date checked| Deployment | Country | Supplier | Since | Status | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Transport PoliceLive Facial Recognition | United KingdomLondon rail and Underground network | NEC (NeoFace M40) | 2026 | Trial | |
| Metropolitan PoliceOperator-Initiated Facial Recognition (handheld) | United KingdomLondon; West Yorkshire and Thames Valley reported | Home Office-supported deployment | 2026 | Trial | |
| Metropolitan PoliceLive Facial Recognition | United KingdomLondon | NEC (NeoFace) | 2020 | Operational | |
| South Wales PoliceLive Facial Recognition | United KingdomWales | NEC (NeoFace) | 2017 | Operational | |
| Home OfficeANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) | United Kingdom | Leonardo MW Ltd (software) and Redcentric plc (data storage), named as processors in the impact assessment | 2006 | Operational | |
| Durham ConstabularyHART (Harm Assessment Risk Tool) | United KingdomEngland | In-house, with Cambridge University | 2016 | Discontinued | |
| Home OfficeRetrospective Facial Recognition (PND search) | United Kingdom | Cognitec (FaceVACS-DBScan ID), among others | 2014 | Operational | |
| Mountain View Police DepartmentFlock Safety ALPR | United StatesCalifornia | Flock Safety | 2024 | Discontinued | |
| Royal Canadian Mounted Police (National Child Exploitation Crime Centre)Clearview AI facial recognition | Canada | Clearview AI | 2019 | Discontinued | |
| Toronto Police ServiceRetrospective Facial Recognition | CanadaOntario | NEC (NeoFace Reveal) | 2018 | Operational | |
| US Department of Homeland SecurityAI-enabled surveillance and detection analytics | United States | Multiple, not fully disclosed | 2023 | Operational | |
| South Australia PoliceAI investigative and surveillance tools | AustraliaSouth Australia | NEC (NeoFace), for facial recognition | 2026 | Operational | |
| Dutch Police (Politie)Video Analytics Search (BriefCam) | NetherlandsNetherlands, national | BriefCam | 2018 | Operational | |
| Hessen PoliceAI-supported real-time biometric identification | GermanyFrankfurt am Main (Bahnhofsviertel), Hesse | Not specified in the source | 2025 | Operational | |
| Italian State PoliceRetrospective Facial Recognition | ItalyItaly, national | Acquired by the Ministry of the Interior in 2017; operated by the Polizia Scientifica | 2018 | Operational |