{
  "record": {
    "id": "6631e83c-73ed-415e-9691-3febf1e70f63",
    "code": "PAI-6631E83C",
    "force": "Essex Police",
    "country": "United Kingdom",
    "country_code": "uk",
    "is_country": true,
    "region": "Essex",
    "technology": "Retrospective facial recognition (Police National Database search)",
    "technology_slug": "retrospective-fr-pnd",
    "vendor": "",
    "vendor_slug": "",
    "programme": "Police National Database",
    "status": "operational",
    "stage": "in-use",
    "evidence": "foi",
    "evidence_is_claim": false,
    "since": "",
    "legal_basis": "",
    "oversight": "",
    "notes": "Essex Police's published Freedom of Information response on Police National Database facial recognition searches in 2024 says the PND 'utilises retrospective facial recognition technology' and gives monthly figures for the force's searches between May and December 2024, correct as at 30 January 2025 (May 282, June 139, July 233, August 257, September 248, October 311, November 263, December 445), which total 2,178. It says accurate monthly data for January to April 2024 is not available because process changes caused inconsistencies, so no full-year total exists. The response states that 'All searches are for Criminal suspects through this recorded medium.' An earlier Essex response dated 3 February 2022 said the force had access to the PND, 'which contains Facial Recognition technology', and that only images held within the PND are subject to it. The force's live facial recognition use is recorded separately.",
    "source": "Essex Police FOI disclosure, PND facial recognition searches in 2024 (figures as at 30 January 2025)",
    "source_url": "https://www.essex.police.uk/foi-ai/essex-police/other-information/previous-foi-requests/2025/police-national-database-facial-recognition-searches-in-2024/",
    "last_checked": "2026-11-04",
    "record_url": "https://www.policeainews.com/tracker/record/6631e83c-73ed-415e-9691-3febf1e70f63"
  },
  "licence": "https://www.policeainews.com/data#licence"
}