Scottish police invite public feedback on law enforcement use of biometric tech

Scotland’s police authorities are inviting the public to share their views on an upcoming strategy for the use of biometrics by law enforcement.

The draft Biometric Strategy 2025 – 2030 was issued in November and proposes strengthening policing with new biometric technologies, including facial recognition. It also defines approaches to the collection, retention and use of biometric data to ensure compliance with regulation, including the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner’s Code of Practice.

The document was composed by Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority Forensic Services (SPA FS).

“This strategy is built on the commitment of Police Scotland and SPA FS to uphold human rights, ethical oversight and transparency,” says the call. “It sets out how biometric data will be used responsibly to prevent harm, protect people and support safer communities.

The deadline for participating in the public consultation is March 1st, 2026.

Scotland is currently in the midst of a debate on law enforcement’s use of biometrics after police confirmed their decision to use live facial recognition (LFR) in August last year.

In response to the plans, the country’s largest political party, the Scottish National Party (SNP), has passed a resolution opposing the plan. On the other hand, the Scottish public are split on the matter, according to a a public poll by Police Scotland.

In December, Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Brian Plaistow laid out his own blueprint on the use of biometric data in law enforcement, proposing statutory codes of practice and several broad measures to ensure biometric data and technologies are used “lawfully, effectively and ethically.”

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  criminal ID  |  forensics  |  law enforcement  |  Police Scotland  |  Scotland