Gardaí launch new facial recognition programme

Gardaí have today unveiled a new facial recognition software system to help identify suspects in crime.

An Garda Síochána claims the new software will make it easier for witnesses to identify suspects, and say it has already been successful – twice – in the first few weeks.

The Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan is shown EVO-FIT, a new facial recognition system for Gardai. pic.twitter.com/aOtzIu6iuG

— Sinéad Hussey (@SineadHus) February 6, 2015

The technology, called Evo-FIT, is already used by 16 UK police services, who report a much higher percentage of suspects successfully identified. In the case of Humberside police, their identification rate went form 14% to 74% on the new system.

The system works by asking witnesses to choose a series of faces from the database - based on age, gender and ethnicity - that look somewhat like the suspect.

These are then blended electronically to produce a "second generation" of faces, which can again be selected, until a final composite is reached.

Six gardaí in the Photographic section of garda headquarters will operate the system, with a turnaround of 24 hours or less to requests from investigating gardaí.

"The introduction of Evo-FIT is a welcome initiative as it will be an invaluable investigative tool," said the Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O’Sullivan.

"It has shown its worth in other police services and An Garda Síochána has already seen its benefits in its first few weeks of use.

"It will also help victims of crime by making the identification process easier and simpler.

Gardaí said that, as a new system, it may take up to a year to compile statistics on how successful it has been and to gather all the feedback.