July 28, 2020 2.39 pm This story is over 44 months old

New CCTV with facial recognition coming for Gainsborough

It will be put in crime hotspots in the town

New smart CCTV with facial and number plate recognition will be installed at locations with increasing crime in Gainsborough.

Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones and West Lindsey District Council bid for £250,000 from the government’s Safer Streets Fund to spend on upgrading and installing CCTV in the town.

A live CCTV streaming connection to Lincolnshire Police’s HQ force control room in Nettleham will be set up. A server will also be installed with artificial intelligence featuring facial recognition, behavioural and number plate recognition software.

The new CCTV will be installed at key locations, which all suffer from increased crime or provide entry and exit routes for criminals.

Improvements will be made to a series of existing CCTV locations in Gainsborough with the latest high definition cameras.

All upgrades will include multiple camera systems allowing for 180 and 360 degree permanent monitoring capability.

Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Reporter

The money will also be used to fund additional Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) units in police cars around the town.

PCC Marc Jones said: “It’s another great example of how we are finding new and innovative ways to keep our communities safe and working in partnership to ensure our resources are used effectively and efficiently.”

Kerrin Wilson, assistant chief constable at Lincolnshire Police, added: “Employing cameras with facial, number plate and behaviour recognition software in real time will give us a valuable tool in detecting and responding to crimes more effectively.”