This article explains that most people are unable to accurately match faces. In the UK, voters now have to produce identification documents, but the many staff at Polling Stations are unable to spot those trying to vote fraudulently. See the article:
https://phys.org/news/2023-05-opinion-people-terrible-photos-polling.html
Police in New South Wales are now identifying their human Super Recognisers. The tactic is spreading across Australia, as the Queensland Police have been using them for some time. From the article:
Dr David White noted..."that while artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used for face recognition, human abilities are still superior. Police already use this technology in Australia. When the police are using it for investigation they’ve often got a poor quality image and then use that image to search a massive database – all AI can do is throw up the most faces that are similar. It can’t say definitively that is the same person or not, so this is why we still need humans to make the final call.”
NSW police members face off in mug match test (cosmosmagazine.com)
This article from The Guardian newspaper covers Face Blindness. But how many law enforcement agencies, borders forces, CCTV Control Rooms and security companies unwittingly employ people with this condition to review images of suspects, monitor surveillance cameras, check passports or compare a face with a security pass allowing access to critical buildings??
Licensed Super Recognisers, who have an interest in law enforcement roles, may wish to search the All Police Jobs website. A suggested search criteria may use the words “image”, “CCTV” and “identification” to find roles which may suit Super Recognisers.
Following the Manchester Arena Inquiry, the proposed "Martyn's Law" has now been released as the "Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Draft Bill".
It refers to the "enhanced duty to take security measures" at large venues, in particular, Section 15 states that, "The person responsible...must ensure that all such reasonably practicable measures are in place...to— (a) reduce the risk of acts of terrorism occurring at, or in the immediate vicinity of, the premises or event, and (b) reduce the risk of physical harm to individuals if acts of terrorism."
Given all the scientific research to show the value of human Super Recognisers by Prof Josh Davis, Dr David Robertson and other academics, the deployment of them is a "reasonably practicable measure".
The Association will be pushing venues and events to use Super Recognisers.
The proposed law can be seen here:
Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Draft Bill (publishing.service.gov.uk)
This articles shows why law enforcement needs HUMAN Super Recognisers - to identify and link offenders to multiple crimes by images AND to verify computerised facial recognition identifications. In the UK, EU and other parts of the world "human intervention" is a legal requirement before arrests are made using automated facial recognition systems.
From the Article:
In 2020, Robert Williams was arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars of watches. Detroit police had matched grainy surveillance footage of the crime to Williams’ driver’s license photo using a facial recognition service. But Williams wasn’t the robber. At the time of the robbery, he was driving home from work.
Williams’ arrest was the first documented case of someone being wrongfully detained based on facial recognition technology, which is used by police departments and government agencies across the US.
Read more here:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/27/california-police-facial-recognition-software
A report by the National Physical Laboratory in the UK has found that there has been a “substantial improvement” in the accuracy of automated facial recognition systems and an elimination of bias against women and ethnic minorities. The NPL noted that for watchlists of 1,000 or 10,000 people, “true positive identification rate” of live facial recognition was 89%. Previously, for a watchlist of 2,000 to 4,000 people, it was 72%.
BUT according to the Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Code of Practice, “human intervention” is required before arrests are made as a result of a computerised identification. AND the Commissioner has further stated that: “Senior (police) officers should ask themselves how they select, train, instruct, deploy, manage and analyse the performance of the human decision maker…”
Who is better to perform this role than a HUMAN Super Recogniser? According to the US agency NIST, combining Super Recognisers and computerised facial recognition produces “near perfect results”. Unfortunately, too often, senior commanders allow any officer to verify the identification. This is putting the use of facial recognition at further risk and, more importantly, can result in innocence people being detained, whilst the guilty escape justice. The Association can help you to find your Super Recognisers.
Report on this link:
https://science.police.uk/research/resources/operational-testing-of-facial-recognition-technology/
SRI operatives recently deployed at a televised event in the UK. The venue cannot be named for legal reasons, but it this was a major step forward, as Super Recognisers were deployed in a security capacity for the first time post-Covid.
The security manager noted that the SRI Super Recognisers were “were fantastic, really helpful and knowledgeable. It gave another layer of security that we needed on this high profile event."
SRI is working with a successful business advisor to drive forward the use of SRs in security, especially with the introduction of Martyn’s Law (see Manchester Arena Bombing enquiry). Further details can be found below re deployment at events:
Live Deployment Super Recognisers Service - SRI (superrecognisersinternational.com)
Please take three minutes to watch this video showing how Super Recognisers found the Novichok assassins on CCTV. This also features a report on Sky News.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFlOllLzz0A
The link below is an interview on ABC with Senior Sergeant Chris Tritton of Queensland Police, who is an Honorary Member of the Association. Chris has been a pioneer in the use of Super Recognisers in Australia and his team have solved over one thousand crimes. In recent tests, his SRs were found to be the most accurate in the world - have a listen!
https://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/programs/mornings/super-recogniser/102068642
The ASR is the professional body representing those who possess the super recogniser skills around the globe. Via our associate scheme, you will be able to access the latest developments in the science of super recognition, browse job opportunities and contact other practitioners from around the globe who share your unique skills and abilities. After a certain period of years in practice, you may even be invited to become a Fellow of the Association.
Have you got an amazing memory for human faces? Your skill could help law enforcement, security companies, Armed Forces or other organisations. You may just want to use your skill for fun OR are simply interested in Super Recognition.
There is NO need to have a background in security, the military or law enforcement. Super Recognisers come from a wide variety of backgrounds.
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