The Metropolitan Police in London announced plans to intensify the use of drones, facial recognition, and artificial intelligence to combat crime, as revealed by Chief Mark Rowley on Wednesday. This initiative aims to give law enforcement a technological edge over criminals.
Rowley emphasized that just as the private sector uses advanced data and technologies to anticipate needs and safeguard clients, the public expects similar capabilities from the police.
Since October 2025, the Metropolitan Police has been deploying nine drones to respond to incidents, often serving as the first resource to reach the scene, monitor suspects, and assist officers on the ground. They reported that average response times to incidents have dropped to under two minutes.
The police plan to implement a widespread drone network across London.
Partnership with Palantir
Simultaneously, the Metropolitan Police will enhance live facial recognition usage, particularly through surveillance cameras in high-traffic areas like the tourist-heavy West End. This technology has facilitated over 2,000 arrests for serious crimes since early 2024, according to police reports.
The force will also ramp up its use of AI to analyze images from approximately one million surveillance cameras throughout the capital. Rowley revealed that a pilot project with Palantir, a leading American data analytics firm, has already improved the police’s data utilization.
However, the London Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan recently blocked a £50 million contract between the Met and Palantir, citing issues in the procurement process.
The use of these tools has sparked criticism. The civil liberties organization Big Brother Watch condemned the “expansion of a surveillance state” and raised concerns about privacy violations, potential misidentification errors, and discrimination risks.
In April, the High Court in London determined that the Metropolitan Police had implemented “adequate safeguards” to prevent abuses after a man was mistakenly identified as a suspect and subsequently filed a complaint against the police.
