Ethnic minority groups in Wales four times more likely to be target of police facial scans
Summary
South Wales Police selected people from ethnic minorities for officer-initiated facial recognition scans at a rate four times their share of the local population in 2025. The force said the figures raised concerns about disproportionality and that it was reviewing its approach.Key Facts
- Ethnic minorities accounted for 24% of people selected for scans, while they made up 7% of the area’s population.
- Ethnic minorities accounted for 11% of people arrested in the South Wales Police area.
- Officers used smartphones to capture faces and check them with Neoface, an algorithm that searches custody mugshots and other face databases.
- Most scans were made when people were suspected of crimes.
- The technology is intended to help identify suspects, wanted people and missing people, including those unable or unwilling to provide their details.
- South Wales Police is among the first UK forces to use officer-initiated facial recognition routinely.
- Alvi Choudhury said police arrested him in February after facial recognition software confused him with another person of South Asian heritage.
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