Thousands of 'innocent' people on police photo database

Police forces in England and Wales have been accused of "misusing" public data after it was revealed that their extensive facial recognition database contained images of innocent people.

The photos were uploaded without Home Office approval and without the knowledge of independent watchdogs, Alastair MacGregor, the independent Biometrics Commissioner told BBC Newsnight.

The facial recognition database contains up to 18 million mugshots, including "hundreds of thousands" of people who have never been charged with or convicted of a crime.

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This follows a High Court ruling in 2012 which found that such a database could be unlawful and ordered police to revise their rules governing the database in "months, not years". Police, meanwhile, insist that the database complies with the Data Protection Act.

MacGregor said he was concerned about the privacy and civil liberties implications of the database, the Daily Mail reports. Although admitting that it is an invaluable crime fighting crime tool, "its value will be very significantly undermined if the public cannot have confidence in and feel there are proper controls," MacGregor warned.

A number of MPs have joined calls for tougher regulation of the database. The Liberal Democrat cabinet office minister, David Laws has contacted the Home Office to say he is "alarmed" at the way the photographs are being used.

"I share the commissioner's concerns that this database will include images of individuals who have never been convicted of a recordable offence," he said.

Former conservative shadow home secretary David Davis also criticised the police for "misusing" the data. "It's quite understandable, police always want more powers, but I'm afraid the courts and parliament say there are limits," he said.

However, Chief Constable Mike Barton, from the Association of Chief Police Officers said he would be happy if parliament chose to regulate the database, but that it was also time police forces were praised for attempting to keep up to date with technology.

"I hear much criticism of policing that we're not up speed and it does come as a surprise to me that we're now being admonished for being ahead of the game," he said.