Mobile App To Bring Rioters To Justice

2880 images uploaded ready for identification

At the touch of a button, Londoners can now help bring to justice people involved in last summer's disturbances after thousands of images were loaded onto the MPS smartphone App driven by technology from Facewatch.

Following the disorder last year and a meticulous investigation of CCTV, police have identified and uploaded 2,880 images, and are urging the public to download the App and assist in identifying people with whom the police wish to speak.

The popularity of the App lies in its simplicity. As well as being available on all computers at www.facewatchid.co.uk the Facewatch App works across all smartphone and tablet computer platforms with internet connection and is free to download from the Apple App Store, Android Google Play and Blackberry App World.

Members of the public just enter a postcode and then click or touch through a selection of CCTV images of unidentified people that the police would like to talk to.

If an image is known to the viewer, they have the opportunity to enter the name and or address of the person shown which is then sent immediately and confidentially to the police.

The App also targets low level crimes such as shoplifting or anti-social behaviour and a further 2,000 images - not related to the 2011 disorder
- have also been uploaded today.

The Facewatch id App technology and secure database system has also been made available by Facewatch to all police forces across the UK and will soon link to the Facewatch business crime reporting solution already in use by many businesses in London.

MPS Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, head of Specialist Crime & Operations, said:
"This is a great opportunity for the public to help us fight crime and bring those who remain outstanding to justice. My hope is that the two-thirds of Londoners who own smartphones will download this App, and help us identify people we still need to speak to. We need Londoners to browse through the App every week or so as new images will appear regularly. This is a fantastic way for Londoners to help us to fight crime."

Simon Gordon, Director of Facewatch Ltd, said:
"We are extremely pleased to be the technology partner behind the Facewatch application and, by working closely with the Metropolitan Police Service team, to help in a small way towards creating a safer and more secure city - especially in such an important year for London."

Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville, head of the Visual Image Identification and Inspection Office, said:
"We are committed to tracing those individuals we wish to speak with through CCTV and other forensic images."

June 28, 2012