Western Australian Police are launching a trial of real-time facial recognition technology to identify persons of interest, including offenders, individuals on exclusion lists and missing persons.

Press PLAY to hear Col Blanch discuss the live trial of facial recognition technology

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch told 6PR Mornings host Simon Beaumont that members of the public who encounter the technology should feel free to ask officers about it, as the force wants the community to understand and feel comfortable with its use.

“If the community of WA feels safer because we put these vans at events to protect our families and our kids, then absolutely I’ll be going to government and asking for greater investment in technology like this”, he said.

Click PLAY to hear 6PR reporter Chelsea Bowden detail how the technology functions and who it is designed to identify

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Image: 6PR