US Podcast on Super Recognizers→

Accurate identity judgments are critical in ensuring that suspects can be apprehended by law enforcement and national security agencies and that fraud attacks do not go undetected at border control points. Research has shown that typical human observers are poor at facial recognition in these contexts. However, there is now a decade’s worth of science which shows that some individuals – known as super recognizers – excel at such tasks.

This video podcast is part one of a two-part series on the topic of super recognizers and facial recognition. In this podcast, Dirk Plante, Deputy Director of HDIAC, interviews two subject matter experts, Dr. Josh Davis and Dr. David Robinson, on facial recognition, discussing the definition of super recognizer and what makes a person more or less likely to possess the ability to be a super recognizer. This podcast also discusses methods that organizations can use to identify if they have personnel who are super recognizers. The next step of effectively utilizing this talent is also outlined.

https://www.hdiac.org/podcast/super-recognizers-part-1-of-2/

Read the HDIAC Journal article on the same topic and authored by the interviewees here: https://www.hdiac.org/journal-article/capitalizing-on-the-super-recognition-advantage-a-powerful-but-underutilized-tool-for-policing-and-national-security-agencies/

Live use of Automated Facial Recognition deemed unlawful in England & Wales

The Court of Appeal has overturned an earlier judgement in favour of South Wales Police and has deemed the use of live automated facial recognition (AFR) software as unlawful. Police had deployed AFR in Cardiff to check fans attending a large sports event, but its use was challenged by UK civil rights group, Liberty. The bans on the use of AFR in the USA and UK emphasise why law enforcement agencies should be using HUMAN Super Recognisers. More details in the attached BBC report:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53734716

Super Recogniser assists with Sixties' Beatles Mystery

According to the conspiracy theory, Paul McCartney was killed in a traffic accident and was replaced by a doppelganger - and there are all manner of alleged “clues” in Beatles’ songs, including “Strawberry Fields Forever “ and “She’s Leaving Home” and on their album covers, such as “Abbey Road”. Professor Sterling Harwood of California has examined all the evidence and used Super Recogniser Kelly Hearsey to compare images of Paul pre and post his “demise”. The results are included in Prof Harwood’s new book “The Greatest Mystery of the Beatles”.

Latest Research into Long Term Recognition Skills

The ability of Super Recognisers to remember faces over a long period is a vital skill in law enforcement.   Criminals can disappear for several months - especially if they are suspected of very serious offences.  In his latest blog, Dr Josh Davis reveals the performance of Super Recognisers when tested on the identification of images nearly two months after the initial viewing.   Dr Davis highlights the need to conduct testing for long term recognition.

https://www.superrecognisers.com/post/testing-super-recogniser-s-memory-for-faces-for-up-to-56-days-photo

Super Recognisers in the German Capital→

The Association is pleased to announce that the Berlin Police are testing their officers for Super Recogniser skills.   This news is contained in this video (around 1 hour 18 minutes) presented by Dr Meike Ramon, as part of the EU Project on Urban Security regarding Super Recognisers:

 https://zoom.us/rec/play/vJ0kc-Go-jk3EtTDuQSDBaR8W466eK-s13Mc_vELzk6zUiZQZACnZ7sRZba-gFc7JhKVDQ2xce2w1LqA

Dr Ramon appears to claim that this will be the first collaboration between academia and police in this field, but the Association can confirm that from 2010 there was several years of work by Greenwich, Bournemouth, Leeds and other universities with the Metropolitan Police and a number of research papers (and TV documentaries) were produced.   The Super Recogniser tests used by Dr Josh Davis (Greenwich) were developed as part of the EU Project "LASIE", where his university, Scotland Yard and the Madrid Police were partners.

The Association wishes the Berlin Police and Dr Ramon every success and is ready to assist when required. And, of course, results from previous collaborations will be shared to assist this new project.

Course Date Announced - 1st - 5th March 2021

The next SRI Course will be held in central London 1st - 5th March. Full details are shown on the “Courses” page of this website.

Association Presentation Day - 2021

Due to the on-going problems with Covid 19, it has been decided to hold the Presentation Day in early 2021 and NOT in September.  Once a date has been agreed, this will be circulated as soon as possible.    A venue will be central London.  Licences and certificates will be presented by our Chairman, Lord Lingfield, who wishes all our members well.

German Police Super Recognisers Target Rioters / Super-Erkennung der deutschen Polizei zielen auf Randalierer in Stuttgart

Officers of the Baden-Württemberg Police are investigating rioting and violence, which occurred in Stuttgart on Saturday 20th June.  Many of the offenders were captured on CCTV images and now the police Super Recognisers have been called in to identify them.   Germany has been at the forefront of developing the super recogniser tactic since British SRs from New Scotland Yard assisted detectives from Cologne, who were investigating the mass sex attacks which occurred in city Kathedral Platz on New Year's Eve 2015.  Super Recogniser Units have been developed in several German cities, including Munich.

Reports are in German

Chairman's Letter to the Daily Telegraph - Facial Recognition

Chairman's Letter to the Daily Telegraph - Facial Recognition

The Association's Chairman, Lord Lingfield, a member of the British House of Lords, wrote to the influential newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, and his letter was published on 15th June 2020.

Facial recognition

SIR – Amazon has suspended the provision of its automated facial recognition (AFR) system to American law enforcement agencies in response to the unrest there. In addition, the chief executive of the tech giant IBM has withdrawn from the AFR market.

Several cities in the United States have banned the use of recognition systems due to privacy concerns. Also, there are studies indicating that such software is often biased against black and minority ethnic faces – especially those of black women.

In this country, the rules relating to the use of AFR are inconsistent. A study by the University of Essex concluded that it is “highly possible” that the Metropolitan Police’s use of computerised facial recognition to date would be held unlawful if it were challenged in court. However, police forces across the world really do need to identify those involved in violence, looting and arson.

Human “super recognisers” – who make up about 1 per cent of the population – are people with an amazing, innate ability to remember and identify faces. The association of which I am chairman is already training police forces to use the skills of such people to identify criminals in an ethical and legal manner, without resorting to techniques reminiscent of Big Brother.

Lord Lingfield (Conservative)
Chairman, The Association of Super Recognisers

London SW1

Amazon & IBM suspend the supply of Automated Facial Recognition to the Police

As riots breakout across the world, with widespread incidents of violence, arson and looting, the need for HUMAN Super Recognisers continues to increase.   Following the outcry after the death of George Floyd, Amazon and IBM have both suspended the supply of automated facial recognition software to law enforcement agencies.   Several US cities have already banned the use of computerised facial recognition.  See the full article: