Letter: Results of Face Recognition Trial Should Be Applauded

Published on: 5 Dec, 2025
Updated on: 4 Dec, 2025

From Howard Moss

In response to: Councillors Demand Police Facial Recognition Vans Mothballed Pending Consultation

I am astonished that Cllr Tim Bonsundy-O’Bryan [Lib Dem, Hoe Bridge] feels that the use of  face recognition technology is disproportionate for use in Woking and uses a cheaply implied comparison of police standing on streets asking to check peoples ID and passports.

This of course is intended to conjure up much more sinister scenarios that which is the case.

The reality is that, yes, several thousand faces were scanned and when nothing flagged up those images immediately deleted, however over the two nights of use an arrest was made of a man wanted on suspicion of rape and another for breaching a sexual risk order.

These seem to me to be extremely serious offences and getting those men off the streets is something that should be applauded and not a cause for Nimbys in Woking.

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