The year 2024 saw a shift in the UK government and law enforcement’s focus on technology, with a strong emphasis on automation for cost reduction and increased efficiency. The new Labour government’s commitment to “take back our streets” led to a renewed emphasis on law and order, resulting in the expansion of technology in policing, particularly facial recognition and cloud-based artificial intelligence tools. However, these deployments were marred by data protection issues and ethical concerns, as seen in previous years.
One of the key developments was the allocation of £230m by then-chancellor Jeremy Hunt for police forces to implement various technologies, including live facial recognition, automation, AI, and the use of drones. However, concerns were raised about the legality of deploying cloud infrastructure and AI-powered facial recognition, highlighting the need for new legislation to regulate their use.
In another instance, Microsoft admitted to not being able to guarantee the sovereignty of UK policing data hosted on its public cloud infrastructure, raising questions about data protection and compliance. The disclosure also revealed shortcomings in Police Scotland’s handling of data protection issues related to its Digital Evidence Sharing Capability.
The Met Police made headlines by scrapping its controversial Gangs Violence Matrix database due to concerns over racial disproportionality. Despite this move, human rights groups warned that its replacement might repeat the same mistakes, criticizing the delay in discontinuing the system.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced additional funding for the Border Security Command to combat people smuggling, focusing on surveillance equipment and intelligence improvements. However, some charities criticized the enforcement-heavy approach, calling for safe and legal routes for refugees instead.
The use of live facial recognition technology by police was a topic of debate in Parliament, with calls for specific legislation to regulate its use. Concerns were raised about privacy, bias, and the lack of a clear legal framework governing its deployment.
Overall, the integration of technology in policing raised significant concerns about data protection, sovereignty, racial discrimination, and civil liberties. The need for robust legislation, transparency, and oversight in the use of AI and surveillance technologies was emphasized by civil society groups and human rights organizations.
