British Transport Police
Retrospective facial recognition (Police National Database search)
OperationalFOI disclosurePAI-9976CCBE
- Body
- British Transport Police
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Technology
- Retrospective facial recognition (Police National Database search)
- Supplier
- Not stated in the source
- Programme
- Police National Database facial search
- Status
- Operational
In routine use by the named body, on the evidence of a public source. - Stage
- In use now
- Since
- Not known
- Legal basis
- Not stated in the source
- Oversight
- Not stated in the source
- Evidence
- FOI disclosure
Freedom of information response - Source
- British Transport Police FOI response 01/FOI/25/3303
- Last checked
- Record code
PAI-9976CCBE
Notes
In its response to a freedom of information request received on 8 April 2025, British Transport Police states: "BTP use Retrospective Facial Recognition through PND." It says still images from body-worn video may be submitted for retrospective searching case by case, not routinely, and that "Our retrospective facial recognition policy is currently being created." The response gives no start date or number of searches, and neither confirms nor denies holding further information on facial recognition practice. This is separate from the force's live facial recognition trial at railway stations.
Other systems used by British Transport Police
| Deployment | Country | Supplier | Since | Status | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Transport PoliceLive Facial Recognition | United KingdomLondon rail and Underground network | NEC (NeoFace M40) | 2026 | Trial |
Other bodies in Police National Database facial search
All records in this programme| Deployment | Country | Supplier | Since | Status | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home OfficeRetrospective Facial Recognition (PND search) | United Kingdom | Cognitec (FaceVACS-DBScan ID), among others | 2014 | Operational |
Retrospective facial recognition (Police National Database search) elsewhere in United Kingdom
See them in the tracker| Deployment | Country | Supplier | Since | Status | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheshire ConstabularyRetrospective facial recognition (Police National Database search) | United KingdomCheshire | — | 2024 | Operational | |
| Cumbria ConstabularyRetrospective facial recognition (Police National Database search) | United KingdomCumbria | — | — | Operational | |
| Essex PoliceRetrospective facial recognition (Police National Database search) | United KingdomEssex | — | — | Operational | |
| Avon and Somerset PoliceRetrospective facial recognition (Police National Database search) | United KingdomAvon and Somerset | — | — | Operational | |
| Police Service of Northern IrelandRetrospective facial recognition (Police National Database search) | United KingdomNorthern Ireland | — | — | Operational | |
| Police ScotlandRetrospective facial search (Police National Database) | United KingdomScotland | Cognitec (FaceVACS), the PND search technology named in the joint review | 2014 | Operational |