LIVE facial recognition was introduced in Essex for the first time this week as police across Britain ramp up use of the intrusive technology. 

Southend officers carried out targeted operations with the camera system on Tuesday, while Chelmsford police followed suit today.

The technology, which is on loan from South Wales police, has been criticised as wildly ineffective.

A University of Essex study said LFR exhibits an 81 per cent inaccuracy rate, meaning that four out of five individuals identified as potential suspects are innocent. 

Speaking to BBC Radio Essex, civil rights group Big Brother’s senior advocacy officer Madeleine Stone argued that only 31 people have been arrested in the seven years that the technology has been in use. 

She said: “You’ve got dozens of officers standing around a van just looking at iPads waiting for the system to tell them what to do.

“These police offers will have a much better use of their time doing something a bit more effective and actually getting out and responding to crimes and following up leads,” she said. 

Detective Superintendent Stephen Jennings called the technology “innovative” and said it would “help us keep the public safe and get justice for victims.”