The Centre for Emerging Technology and Security predicted that over the next 5-10 years, the type of biometric systems and data will broaden dramatically. Moving beyond the prevailing purposes of uniquely identifying individuals and onto making inferences about someone’s behaviours, emotional state or classifying them into demographic groups. All this despite significant concerns over scientific validity and potential benefits.

As advances in biometrics continue to emerge, it is important to consider the wider impact on our individual and social wellbeing. It is also crucial we discuss views on the not inconsiderable challenge of striking the right balance between the policing mission of keeping us all safe and our individual rights to privacy.

The Scottish Police Authority works with Police Scotland and the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner to provide oversight on introduction of biometrics in Scottish policing. We focus on transparency, openness and proportionality when assessing biometrics and technology, and we work with partners to ensure the ethical adoption of all new policing technology.

Last month the Chief Constable and I re-signed a Memorandum of Understanding which supports decision making in the policing system and seeks to maintain and build public trust and confidence. The Authority believes in the ‘proportionality principle’ and this should be used when considering a public interest assessment of any proposed new technology or deployment.

At our Biometrics in Criminal Justice conference held on 19 June 2024, we welcomed a range of speakers and panellists from around the UK to provide a comprehensive picture of the broader use of biometrics of policing. Three separate panels discussions helped to explore some of the key issues and debate. 

Throughout the conference, we have heard a broad range of perspectives, providing an overview of how the use of biometrics in criminal justice has evolved over the years and providing food for thought as to what is on the near horizon for policing and beyond.

At the same time however, the discussions and inputs also required us, as practitioners, oversight bodies, academics and beyond, to consider how we add value to the ethical and human rights aspects of innovation in biometrics.

In particular, how we can ensure that the continued use of biometric data in policing should be managed in a proportionate and sensitive manner.

When I was appointed Chair of the Scottish Police Authority in 2021, I made it a priority that Police Scotland has the technology required to keep us all safe, enhance the capability of police officers and at the same time maintain and indeed improve public trust and confidence. 

Making decisions in the face of uncertainty is common in the modern world. Ambiguity and uncertainty feature regularly when the Authority is considering novel police technologies and deployments.

My hope is that the conference marks the start of a national conversation, in the year ahead, that seeks to build understanding and awareness of how live facial recognition technology could help keep people safe, and the ethical and human rights checks and balances that should underpin its potential use if it was adopted.

I intend to discuss with our key stakeholders and partners, including local authority policing scrutiny committees, how we work together on an informed and evidence based national conversation on the use of this technology.

I cannot predict where that discussion will lead the Authority, but I do feel strongly that its the Authority's duty to facilitate open discussion on challenging policy issues such as these.