Denmark to implement facial recognition for police investigations by year-end

The Danish government has confirmed plans to implement a facial recognition system for police to use in the investigation of serious crimes. The decision was backed by a coalition of political parties.

This decision comes in response to a rise in gang-related violence and cross-border criminal activities. The new measures will allow the police to utilize facial recognition technology, particularly in cases involving severe threats to public safety, such as murder, rape, and serious violence, the Ministry of Justice said in a written statement.

The Danish National Police, Rigspolitiet, has previously only confirmed the use of face biometrics only for passport control and identifying victims, Ritzau reports. The force reportedly has an existing contract for software from BriefCam.

The government agreement follows a spate of gang-related cases, including incidents involving the recruitment of young Swedes to commit murders in Denmark. The police are now set to implement digital tools incorporating object and pattern recognition technology, including facial recognition, to expedite investigations. However, the use of facial recognition will not extend to real-time monitoring.

The initiative was presented by the National Police at a meeting at the Ministry of Justice, where they outlined the use of object and facial recognition technologies to speed up investigations by automatically scanning video footage obtained during criminal inquiries.

The Minister of Justice has briefed the Danish Parliament’s Judicial Committee on these new investigative tools, and the National police is expected to implement the digital systems in the Copenhagen police force by the end of 2024.

Focus on serious crimes

The current process of manually reviewing video footage is resource-intensive, according to the statement, and it is hoped that the new digital tools will reduce the time required for investigations.

Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard emphasizes the importance of this technology in solving major crimes. “The technology does not just raise the quality of the investigation. It also saves time, which is an absolutely essential factor in the investigation. Now the police will initially be given the opportunity to use, among other things, facial recognition in cases of serious crime dangerous to persons and in cases of importance to the state’s security,” he adds.

“The safety and security of the Danes is crucial to me, and I am willing to go to great lengths for that. I know there are different views among parties and organizations on the use of facial recognition. But in this context, I am most concerned with the police getting the right tools to fight crime.”

Caution on privacy

The initiative has garnered broad political support, though there are calls for caution regarding privacy concerns. Venstre’s legal spokesperson, Preben Bang Henriksen, supports the move, noting that it gives police the tools they need to fight gang violence more efficiently. Tobias Grotkjær Elmstrøm of the Moderates stresses that while it is important to equip the police with necessary tools, considerations regarding privacy and citizens’ legal rights must not be overlooked.

SF’s legal rapporteur, Karina Lorentzen, highlights that the use of facial recognition must be strictly limited to the most serious cases. SF will closely monitor the implementation of the technology and push for an evaluation after a trial period.

In addition to facial recognition, the police’s capacity to investigate crimes involving encrypted communication services, often used by organized criminals, will also be enhanced.

The use of facial recognition technology by the police is governed by existing data protection laws, including the Data Protection Regulation and the Law Enforcement Act. Currently, Danish police use facial recognition technology for identifying victims of child sexual abuse, but the new measures represent an expansion of its use.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  BriefCam  |  criminal ID  |  data protection  |  Denmark  |  facial recognition  |  police