Live facial recognition, response times, online safety and victim’s rights under scrutiny at PCC’s accountability meeting

Live facial recognition, response times, online safety and victim’s rights will be under scrutiny at a police accountability meeting on Thursday 12th February.

Hertfordshire Police & Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards holds monthly Accountability & Performance Meetings (APMs) to hold Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public. Mr Ash-Edwards webcasts APMs for public transparency.

The meeting is held on Thursday 12th February at 10.30am and members of the public can register to watch the webcast live at: Registration Link 

On the agenda for next Thursday’s meeting will be live facial recognition. It follows a pilot of the technology by the Constabulary in Cheshunt just before Christmas. Mr Ash-Edwards will be asking the Chief Constable how the pilot went, how the Constabulary is seeking to maintain public confidence in the technology and how it will next be used in the county.

The Home Secretary recently announced that she will be introducing a national target for emergency response times. The PCC already regularly scrutinises this area and will be asking for an update on current performance and the Constabulary’s initial assessment of the implications of a national target.

Other agenda items to be discussed by the PCC and Chief Constable include:

· Online Safety Act – new criminal offences

· Victims Code of Practice compliance

· Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Police & Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, said:

“My Accountability & Performance Meetings help me hold the Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public for the performance and work of Hertfordshire Constabulary. They are webcast live and a recording published for transparency.

“This month I will be seeking an update on the evaluation of the pilot of live facial recognition technology in Cheshunt just before Christmas. Public surveys carried out by my office suggest that this is technology that Hertfordshire residents support to help the fight against crime, but I am keen to understand how the Constabulary will be maintaining that. I am keen to see more use of live facial recognition technology and will be asking the Chief Constable what the Constabulary’s next steps will be.

“Most residents will never need to phone 999 but hundreds of people do so every day and it’s important they get the right response. I will be scrutinising emergency response times at my APM to ensure residents are getting a timely service when needed.

“Following the introduction of new communications offences in the Online Safety Act, I will be scrutinising how Hertfordshire Constabulary has been responding to reports of criminal offences under the legislation”.

For more information please contact:

Rachel Stone, Hertfordshire PCC

Tel: 0794 9279782 Email: [email protected] Please visit our website at: www.hertscommissioner.org