Watch as police explain how new facial recognition vans will operate across Sussex
Live facial recognition vans have been deployed across Sussex and Surrey as police intensify efforts to apprehend wanted offenders.
The two Home Office-funded vehicles use real-time technology to scan faces in public places and match them against a watchlist of suspects linked to serious crimes, including domestic abuse, shoplifting and sexual offences.
Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said the vans are aimed at those causing the most harm, with officers deployed the moment a match is detected.
Senior officers stressed the system has been designed to balance public safety with privacy, with images of anyone not on a watchlist automatically blurred and deleted on the spot.
Police say the technology, already used in other force areas, will help officers identify suspects more quickly and work more efficiently. The vans will be clearly marked, with deployment locations announced in advance. The first operation took place in Crawley on November 13.