Advanced CCTV - Products and Contracts

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Keywords

Hikvision, Products, Operate, Advanced, CCTV, Own, Video, Recording, Storing, Features, Temperature, Scanning, Facial, Recognition, Crowd, Monitoring, Data, Protection, Impact, Assessments, Contracts, Supply, Prices, Redacted.

Publication Number

PUB 1310

FOI Reference Number

16076

Request Title

Advanced CCTV - Products & Contracts

Date Range

N/A

Information Requested

A list of all Hikvision products your force owns or operates

A list of all "advanced CCTV" products your force owns or operates - examples of these include products that go beyond mere video recording and storing or those that have features such as temperature scanning, facial recognition, crowd monitoring [this list is illustrative]

Data Protection Impact Assessments for all of these products your force uses

Contracts for these product's supply - prices can be redacted

Disclosure with Exemptions

Part Disclosure with Section 24, Section 31 and Section 23 Exemptions

Information Correct as at

06 September 2021

Date of Disclosure

19 October 2021

FOI 16076 Response

Having completed enquiries within Essex Police in respect of Section 1(1)(a), Essex Police does hold information relating to your request, Essex Police can confirm in respect of Section 1(1)(b) the following data:

Caveat: The data is correct as at 06 September 2021.

A list of all Hikvision products your force owns or operates.

No information held. Essex Police does not use Hikvision products for overt policing.

A list of all "advanced CCTV" products your council owns or operates - examples of these include products that go beyond mere video recording and storing or those that have features such as temperature scanning, facial recognition, crowd monitoring [this list is illustrative].

No information held. Essex Police does not use Facial Recognition software for overt policing.

Data Protection Impact Assessments for all of these products your force uses.

Please see below link:

Surveillance cameras

Contracts for these product's supply - prices can be redacted.

No information held.

In addition to the above, Essex Police can neither confirm nor deny information is held in regard to the covert use of Facial Recognition software by virtue of the following exemptions:

Section 23(5) Information supplied by, or concerning, certain Security Bodies

Section 24(2) National Security

Section 31(3) Law Enforcement

Any disclosure under FOI is a release to the public at large. Whilst not questioning the motives behind this specific request, confirming or denying that any information relating to the any possible covert practice of Facial Recognition would show those who pose a risk to National Security what the capacity, tactical abilities and capabilities of the Essex Police are, allowing them to target specific areas of the UK to conduct/undertake their criminal/terrorist activities.

Confirming or denying the specific circumstances in which the Police Service may or may not deploy the use of Facial Recognition would be likely to lead to an increase of harm to covert investigations and compromise law enforcement. This would be to the detriment of providing an efficient policing service and a failure in providing a duty of care to all members of the public.

The threat from terrorism cannot be ignored. It is generally recognised that the international security landscape is increasingly complex and unpredictable. Since 2006, the UK Government has published the threat level, based upon current intelligence and that threat is currently categorised as ‘substantial’, see below link:

https://www.mi5.gov.uk/threat-levels

The UK continues to face a sustained threat from violent extremists and terrorists. It is well established that Police forces use covert tactics and surveillance to gain intelligence in order to counteract criminal behaviour. It has been previously documented in the media that many terrorist incidents have been thwarted due to intelligence gained by these means.

It is well established that Police Service uses covert tactics and surveillance to gain intelligence in order to counteract criminal behaviour. It has been previously documented in the media that many terrorist incidents have been thwarted due to intelligence gained by these means.

Confirming or denying whether any information is or is not held relating to the covert use of Facial Recognition technology would limit operational capabilities as criminals/terrorist would gain a greater understanding of the police’s methods and techniques, enabling offenders to take steps to counter them. It may also suggest the limitations of Police capabilities in this area, which may further encourage criminal/terrorist activity by exposing potential vulnerabilities.

This detrimental effect is increased if the request is made to several different law enforcement bodies. In addition to the local criminal fraternity now being better informed, those intent on organised crime throughout the UK will be able to ‘map’ where the use of certain tactics may or may not be deployed. This can be useful information to those committing (or those intent on committing or planning) crime. It would have the likelihood of identifying location-specific operations which would ultimately compromise police tactics, operations and future prosecutions as criminals could counteract the measures used against them.

Any information identifying the focus of policing activity could be used to the advantage of terrorists or criminal organisations. Information that undermines the operational integrity of these activities will adversely affect public safety and have a negative impact on both National Security and Law Enforcement.

Please note this response should, therefore, not be taken to as an indication of whether or not the further information is held, other than what Essex Police have confirmed is held within this response for your questions.

Confirming or denying whether any other information is held in relation, for example to any possible covert use of Facial Recognition technology would potentially show criminals what the capacity, tactical abilities and capabilities of Essex Police are, allowing them to target specific areas of the UK to conduct their criminal/terrorist activities.

Please note this response should not be taken as an indication of whether or not information in relation to the covert use of Facial Recognition is held or not.

Further information about our procurement services can be found on the Essex Police website.

Contracts Finder can be used to search for contract opportunities, find out what is coming up in the future and look up details of previous tenders and contracts.

Essex Police also use the BravoSolution for our tendering process, which enables contractors/suppliers to sign up and reply to tenders.

The Bluelight Procurement Database also provides Contact and Procurement information.

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