Provision of information held by Northumbria Police made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the 'Act')
As you may be aware the purpose of the Act is to allow a general right of access to information held at the time of a request, by a Public Authority (including the Police), subject to certain limitations and exemptions.
You asked:
I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request information about any contracts with automated facial recognition manufacturers.
1. Does your police force hold any current contracts with Viseum, Anyvision, Digital Barriers, Facewatch, or Verint or has it previously ever purchased any of their products?
If yes, please provide details of:
a) How much money your force has spent on these contracts and/or products
b) What products or services were sought in those contracts or purchases
c) The contract lengths
d) When your force purchased the company’s technologies or services
e) The purpose your force purchased the company’s technologies or services for
2. Does your force hold contracts with any other automated facial recognition manufacturers or has it purchased automated facial recognition technology?
If yes, please provide details of:
a) How much money your force has spent on these contracts and/or products
b) What products or services were sought in those contracts or purchases
c) The contract lengths
d) When your force purchased the company’s technologies or services
e) The purpose your force purchased the company’s technologies or services for
3. Please provide details of any correspondence or meetings your force has had with Viseum, Anyvision, Digital Barriers, Facewatch, Verint or any other automated facial recognition vendor.
4. Has your force trialled any products from Visuem, Anyvision, Digital Barriers, Facewatch, Verint or any other automated facial recognition vendors? If so, please provide detail.
In Response:
We have now had the opportunity to fully consider your request and I provide a response for your attention.
Following receipt of your request, searches were conducted within Northumbria Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held in part by Northumbria Police.
On this occasion I consider no harm to be caused with the release of this information and I am therefore able to disclose the located information to you as follows.
- No
- No
- In 2017 representatives from the force met with vendor staff for them to demonstrate facial recognition capability. No further meetings took place.
- No
