Hampshire Police Scanned 406,001 Faces With Live Facial Recognition, No UK Law

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary processed biometric templates of 406,001 people in the year to October 2026 using live facial recognition vans, according to data published by Big Brother Watch. Almost none were on watchlists, and the UK still has no specific law governing the technology.

• 406,001 people scanned in the 12 months to October 2026
• Watchlists per deployment hold up to about 3,000 individuals
• Police Reform Bill with facial recognition rules not yet in Parliament
• High Court upheld Met Police LFR policy in April 2026