Accuracy of facial recognition systems
Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),
According to a BBC News article published today, the facial recognition system to be used by the Metropolitan Police was capable of identifying suspects in 70% of cases.
Please could you provide an anonymised overview of the sample used in the test that yielded this result. Specifically, please provide the following:
- The percentage of the sample which were non-white
- The percentage of the sample which were male and female
- The age of the individuals within the sample
Yours faithfully,
Dan Rawle
Official Sensitive
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
United Kingdom
Our Ref: 01/FOI/20/013200
Date: 24/01/2020
Dear Mr Rawle
Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/20/013200
I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 24/01/2020. I note you seek
access to the following information:
According to a BBC News article published today, the facial recognition
system to be used by the Metropolitan Police was capable of identifying
suspects in 70% of cases.
Please could you provide an anonymised overview of the sample used in the
test that yielded this result. Specifically, please provide the
following:
- The percentage of the sample which were non-white
- The percentage of the sample which were male and female
- The age of the individuals within the sample
Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act). You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act.
If you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact
us at [email address] or on the phone at 0207 161 3500, quoting the
reference number above. Should your enquiry relate to the logging or
allocations process we will be able to assist you directly and where your
enquiry relates to other matters (such as the status of the request) we
will be able to pass on a message and/or advise you of the relevant
contact details.
Yours sincerely
Gary Quan
COMPLAINT RIGHTS
Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?
You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.
Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.
Complaint
If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.
Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:
FOI Complaint
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.
The Information Commissioner
After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.
For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk. Alternatively, write to or
phone:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113
Official Sensitive
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
United Kingdom
Our Ref: 01/FOI/20/013200
Date: 20/02/2020
Dear Mr Rawle,
Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/20/013200
I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).
I am sorry to inform you that we have not been able to complete our
response to your request by the date originally stated.
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act), we have 20 working
days to respond to a request for information unless we are considering
whether the information requested is covered by one of the 'qualified
exemptions' (exemptions which must be tested against the public interest
before deciding whether they apply to the information in question).
Where we are considering the public interest test against the application
of relevant qualified exemptions, Section 17(2)(b) provides that we can
extend the 20 day deadline. Please see the legal annex for further
information on this section of the Act.
For your information we are considering the following exemption(s):
Section 31(1)(a) Law Enforcement
I can now advise you that the amended date for a response is 20/3/20
May I apologise for any inconvenience caused, your request is being
treated as a priority.
Yours sincerely
Ms S. Strong
MPS Information Manager
LEGAL ANNEX
Section 17(2) provides:
(2) Where-
a) in relation to any request for information, a public authority is, as
respects any information, relying on a claim-
i) that any provision of Part II which relates to the duty to confirm or
deny and is not specified in section 2(3) is relevant to the request, or
ii) that the information is exempt information only by virtue of a
provision not specified in section 2(3), and
b) at the time when the notice under subsection (1) is given to the
applicant, the public authority (or, in a case falling within section
66(3) or (4), the responsible authority) has not yet reached a decision as
to the application of subsection (1)(b) or (2)(b) of section 2,
the notice under subsection (1) must indicate that no decision as to the
application of that provision has yet been reached and must contain an
estimate of the date by which the authority expects that such a decision
will have been reached.
COMPLAINT RIGHTS
Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?
You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.
Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.
Complaint
If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.
Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:
FOI Complaint
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.
The Information Commissioner
After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.
For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk. Alternatively, write to or
phone:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113
Official Sensitive
Dear Mr Rawle,
Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/20/013200
Please see the attached in respect of your Freedom of Information request
referenced above.
Yours sincerely
Ms S. Strong
MPS Information Manager
COMPLAINT RIGHTS
Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?
You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.
Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.
Complaint
If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.
Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:
FOI Complaint
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.
The Information Commissioner
After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.
For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk. Alternatively, write to or
phone:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113
We work to defend the right to FOI for everyone
Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Donate and support our work.
Donate Now