Merseyside Police to Use Live Facial Recognition at Premier League Fixture

Merseyside Police will deploy Live Facial Recognition (LFR) at this Monday’s Premier League Fixture as part of a wider policing operation designed to keep fans and the public safe.

LFR will be in place on approaches to Hill Dickinson Stadium, where Everton will host Manchester United. 

The deployment is intended to help identify people wanted for serious offences and engage with individuals subject to court orders.

LFR will be used alongside a range of policing tactics, including highly visible patrols and more discreet measures such as plain-clothes officers, to ensure everyone can enjoy the match safely.

Chief Inspector Chris Barnes, who is leading the policing operation, said: “LFR helps us to locate high‑harm offenders swiftly and effectively.

“These high‑tech tools allow us to prevent crime and protect the public, ensuring that law‑abiding supporters aren’t disrupted and can simply focus on enjoying the game.

“We will continue to consider the use of LFR at future events, ensuring our approach remains both effective and proportionate.”

LFR works by comparing faces captured on a live camera feed against a secure, predetermined watchlist made up of individuals wanted for serious offences, subject to court orders, or who pose a risk to the public or to themselves.

If the system identifies a possible match, a police officer will compare the image on screen with the person in view and decide whether to speak to them. This decision will always be made by an officer, never the technology alone.

If you are not on a watchlist, your biometric data is never stored from passing through the LFR zone of recognition. It is immediately and automatically deleted, ensuring privacy is protected.

Watchlist images are deleted within 24 hours of each deployment, and CCTV footage is deleted within 31 days, the same as standard public cameras.