The modern Met Police is a force for good that you can trust, and that is open to your scrutiny. The volume and complexity of crime means we cannot stand still and allow technology to advance while we are left behind. And well-governed and well-explained proportionate use of tech by the police will reduce the likelihood of you and your family and friends being harmed by crime.
So said Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, pictured, in an annual lecture at the defence and security think-tank RUSI (Royal United Services Institute). She concluded by stressing that the police need modern tools for a modern police force ‘that will help us keep you safe’.
She stressed the use of new tech such as body-worn video for officers, which she hailed as a great success. On use of AI did wish aloud for ‘some kind of code of conduct for the use of tech in policing, a licence to operate. We probably need a further assurance and inspection regime’.
She said: “Like many organisations we have been using tools that apply locked in algorithms in I believe uncontentious areas. Citizens expect modern policing in a modern country to use modern technology that intrudes as little as possible. With LFR [face recognition] we are taking a small step to use emerging tech to support our efforts against violent crime.”
Summing up she said: “The modern Met is a force for good that you can trust, and that is open to your scrutiny. We cannot stand still and allow technology to advance while we are left behind. We need well-governed and well-explained proper use of tech by the police that will reduce the likelihood of you and your family and friends being harmed by crime.”
For the speech in full visit https://rusi.org/event/rusi-annual-security-lecture. It’s also on the Met Police website.
