London introduces live facial recognition tracking as part of ‘knife hotspots’ campaign
Police will introduce metal detection, rapid response e-bikes, extra foot patrols, and live facial recognition in two London hotspots as part of a new campaign to crackdown on knife crime.
The campaign will initially be rolled out in parts of Westminster and Croydon, with adverts appearing at tube stations, bus stops and on social media – as well as a mural at Boxpark Croydon. A seperate campaign is also being piloted in Birmingham city centre.
Developed by the Home Office with police and local authorities, the campaign aims to target those most at risk of committing knife crime. Recent figures show knife crime has fallen 11% since the General Election (July 2024), while knife-related homicides have fallen by 25% and knife-enabled robbery is down by 18%.
In London, knife crime has fallen by 14% over the same period, while knife-related homicides have fallen by 34% and knife-enabled robbery is down by 19%. The campaign forms part of the government’s wider mission to halve knife crime in a decade.
Commander Pete Stevens of the Metropolitan Police said that knife crime has a devastating impact, not just on families who have lost loved ones, but on entire communities.
“Our officers work tirelessly to combat this senseless violence, proactively directing our resources towards the people who pose the most risk.
“These tactics are working. In the last financial year knife-enabled crime fell by 14.9% across London and over the last five years the number of people hospitalised after being attacked with a sharp weapon has fallen by 29%.
“We will continue to target violent criminals who threaten our communities. Every knife removed and every suspect arrested has the potential to prevent serious harm or save a life.”
