Essex police pause facial recognition camera use after study finds racial bias

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Robert Booth and Mark WildingMarch 19, 2026 at 04:26 PM

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medium article 3 min

Essex police have suspended their use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology after a study revealed racial bias in its accuracy. The study, commissioned by Essex police and conducted by University of Cambridge academics, found the system was more likely to correctly identify Black individuals compared to other ethnic groups, raising fairness concerns. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) revealed the pause and cautioned other police forces using LFR to implement mitigation strategies. The study involved actors walking past LFR cameras in Chelmsford, revealing the system's increased accuracy in identifying Black individuals on a watchlist. The findings come as the Home Office plans to increase the availability of LFR vans to police forces across England and Wales.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Surrey 30% Bedfordshire 30% Suffolk 30% Greater Manchester 30% West Yorkshire 30% Leicestershire 30% Northamptonshire 30% Hampshire 30% London 40% Wales ×240% Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ×270% Essex Police ×390%

Keywords

facial recognition 100% racial bias 90% essex police 80% live facial recognition 70% artificial intelligence 60% police watchlist 50% accuracy 50% data privacy 40%