Liberty responds to HMICFRS report on retrospective facial recognition

A new report published today (12 November 2026) by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services warns of a risk of wrongful arrests from police use of retrospective facial recognition (RFR) technology.

The report highlights:

• images used in searches should have been deleted from databases as police are not meeting obligations to delete custody images
• a lack of consistent training for officers using RFR and lack of understanding of the technology’s use (Home Office 2026 Survey of investigators showed one third of respondents either incorrectly believed or weren’t sure whether a PND facial search match constituted as evidence)
• failings by investigators to carry out additional checks before making an arrest, leading to innocent people being detained by police.

Akiko Hart, Director of Liberty, said:

“The growing use of retrospective facial recognition by police, the lack of understanding of the technology and the possible unlawful retention of custody images is a dangerous combination. Alvi Choudhury’s case has already shown the human cost of these failures when he was removed from his home by police and detained for ten hours for a burglary in a city he’d never visited.

“This continued disregard for legal obligations when it comes to privacy and civil liberties and inadequate or non-existent training on facial recognition will do little to reassure the public that their rights are being protected.

“These findings further underline the need for the government to finally deliver legislation on facial recognition now that the consultation response has been published.”