Police forces are under pressure to tighten controls over the use of facial recognition technology.
A new report from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said retrospective facial recognition (RFR), used by Hampshire police, is not being used consistently, raising concerns about oversight, governance, and public confidence.
Kathryn Stone, His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, said: "The introduction of facial recognition technology has transformed suspect identification.
While the public generally supports RFR, the report warned that this support depends on transparent, lawful, and proportionate use.
The report also highlighted inconsistencies in data retention, noting that some custody images were not deleted under existing retention rules.