back to article South Wales cops crow about facial recognition arrests on social media

South Wales Police deployed facial recognition technology in Cardiff this weekend, making multiple arrests using the controversial kit. The force has been using an automated facial recognition (AFR) system since June last year, when it launched a pilot during the Champions League finals week. In December, the police boasted …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Big Sister

    is Watching You.

    1. b0llchit Silver badge
      Mushroom

      Re: Big Sister

      And the police is caught with her in bed in several indecent postures. I want Pics! because I am sure that Big Sister is under age (the tech is too young for her to be old enough) and therefore, the police is guilty, guilty I tell you.

      1. Mephistro
        Windows

        Re: Big Sister

        "And the police is caught with her in bed in several indecent postures"

        For a moment there I thought that "her" was T.May. Excuse me while I take my mind bleach.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    In other news

    South Wales Police raid Swansea Zoo to arrest suspect Gorillas.

    1. Rich 11 Silver badge

      Re: In other news

      South Wales Police raid Barry Island Pleasure Park to arrest suspect tourourists.

  3. Dan 55 Silver badge
  4. Jediben
    Big Brother

    Fakeapp must be a strong contender for the defence argument now? Plod would love to use all that CCTV footage for something...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Fitting the Crime to make the Punishment ?

  5. Rafael #872397
    Joke

    Suspect was armed and dangerous

    Watch out, he has a Nokia on his pocket!

    1. macjules

      Re: Suspect was armed and dangerous

      I suppose when you have seen one Welsh, Nokia-toting, drug dealer, you have face-recognised them all.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Nothing more

    than state sanctioned phishing.

    Fuck em, time to wear a "mask" when in public. If one set of people can do it legally, so can the others.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Nothing more

      or wear a funny hat and/or wig

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Nothing more

        Clown makeup

        Pirate eye patch (and parrot on shoulder)

        very large sunglasses (maybe mirror or dazzle sunglasses).

    2. teknopaul

      Re: Nothing more

      It is now illegal in the UK to hide your face from cameras.

      1. Bernard M. Orwell

        Re: Nothing more

        But not illegal to wear makeup. Google search: Dazzle Makeup.

      2. Lysenko

        Re: Nothing more

        It is now illegal in the UK to hide your face from cameras.

        No it isn't. It was, until 1823, when they repealed the Black Act because cameras hadn't been invented yet.

        The police can require you to remove a mask using a Section 60 order, but that has to be authorised by an Inspector and applies only to a specific location during a specific timeframe (i.e. to deal with Black Bloc, Hunt Saboteurs, Football Thugs etc). It is not an offence to actually wear a mask, even if you freely admit that your purpose in doing so is to conceal your identity (balaclavas also keep your head warm).

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Nothing more

        Not if I convert to Islam and then claim to identify as female...

        If nothing else, that level of political correctness should make their heads implode!

        1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

          Re: Nothing more

          Not if I convert to Islam and then claim to identify as female...

          I'm Catholic with "irish heritage" so a black balaclava is cultural

          1. Lysenko

            Re: Nothing more

            I'm Catholic with "irish heritage" so a black balaclava is cultural

            Risky line to take. Plod might use the same argument in respect of their rubber hose equipped morris dancing lessons in the cells.

            1. This post has been deleted by its author

        2. gnasher729 Silver badge

          Re: Nothing more

          "Not if I convert to Islam and then claim to identify as female..."

          Careful. They might take your claim serious and pay for an operation.

      4. Matt 18

        Re: Nothing more

        Upvoted, because I was going to post this as satire.

      5. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Nothing more

        No it isn't.

    3. spold Silver badge

      Re: Nothing more

      Clothing with digital face recognition camouflage...

      https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/ad_230565557.jpg?quality=80&strip=all&strip=all

  7. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: and meanwhile automated themselves out of a job

      "and meanwhile automated themselves out of a job"

      They still need someone to help the suspects fall down the stairs?

  8. Lysenko

    One possible benefit...

    ...proper hats might make a comeback in place of those "Beany" things.

    1. phuzz Silver badge

      Re: One possible benefit...

      What's wrong with a woolly hat? They keep your ears warm.

  9. MOH

    Yeah, the tech is wonderful. Nothing can possibly go wrong. And if it does, the police will obviously admit they were wrong straight away. And would never twice wrongly arrest the same guy based on faulty image recognition

    1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

      what I dont get is , ff the computer says "This guy is this guy based on these 2 pictures" , Surely the policeman will have a look at the 2 pictures himself to see if it is the same person.

      So how do you get false arrests?

      1. Rich 11 Silver badge

        So how do you get false arrests?

        By being born black.

      2. Blotto Silver badge
        Big Brother

        @Prst. V.Jeltz

        its probably way over the plods pay grade to go against what the computer says.

        yes that tall black man really is the same likeness as that tiny white man in the photo, because the computer says so.

        1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

          "its probably way over the plods pay grade to go against what the computer says."

          Well they get paid a lot more than I do. A little common sense isnt too much to ask surely?

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            I work for local

            government. Common sense, as well as initiative are immediately shot down by the multiple layers of middle managers.

            ANYTHING innovative suggested by "ground floor" staff will either be stolen and presented as their "idea"or lambasted as a "bad" idea if it goes against their status quo. Irrespective of how good an idea it is.

          2. Adam 52 Silver badge

            "Well they get paid a lot more than I do. A little common sense isnt too much to ask surely?"

            The only cases that make the headlines are the ones where common sense went missing. The other x thousand get no press attention at all.

            However the specific problem is that *if* Bloggs goes on to do something naughty then the Daily Mail, Guardian and El Reg readers will all go "why was he allowed out at all when the computer said he should be arrested". And the PC will then go on trial for misconduct in a public office. Or manslaughter if the naughty thing involved someone dying.

            So much, much less risk to just make the arrest.

          3. handleoclast

            Yes, it is too much to ask

            @Prst. V.Jeltz

            A little common sense isnt too much to ask surely?

            The thing about civil service (I use the term broadly) procedures is that they are designed to achieve consistent results. Consistent in that no matter which civil servant (or plod) deals with you, you get the same results. So that if something goes wrong, you complain, the way your case was dealt with is checked against procedures and, in the case of a procedural error, is fixed. Theoretically.

            The same process also stifles common sense. Because you may get somebody who uses initiative and gives you a better result than if you'd been dealt with by a different civil servant/plod. Which causes envy and complaints by others. So the common-sensical civil servant/plod is punished for not following procedures.

            It's above the pay grade of those in the trenches to question strategy. That might lead people to conclude that the generals are fuckwits.

            So yes, common sense is too much to ask.

            Hmmm, what's the opposite of /s? I need something to show that although the above may read like it was sarcasm it's actually serious.

          4. Mark 85

            @Prst. V.Jeltz

            A little common sense isn't too much to ask surely?

            This has been said by many people: "Common sense isn't common", Seems to be pretty true.

      3. the-sbray

        If they can not get ANPR working correctly, then how can they get facial recognition right? Don't forget the police are now lazy that they would rather let the computer work out who is who than use old fashioned detective work.

        1. Antron Argaiv Silver badge
          Thumb Up

          Got pulled over here in Massachusetts with ANPR. You can switch plates for up to 7 days onto a car you have just purchased (which is what I had done, and had documents to prove it). But the officer insisted that the plates belonged on a white van. I said that was wrong, never owned a white van, and I had a valid registration document (for my old car) to prove it. The white van was apparently what came up on their display first (here, you can have the same number on different classes of reg -- the white van was apparently a commercial plate).

          As I'm white, and middle aged, the officer checked again and discovered that I was telling the truth...they scrolled down, and there it was...

          1. JeffyPoooh
            Pint

            ANPR: well, they did say "N" (number) - not "&C" (and colour)

            AA mentioned, "...same number on ...a commercial plate..."

            Nobody ever noticed that until now?

            Nobody ever said, "Oi, we have the same number on different colour plates here. 'Automatic Plate NUMBER Recognition' isn't going to be reliable. We need 'APN and Colour R' here."

            Seriously? Is this true?

      4. Cynic_999

        "

        Surely the policeman will have a look at the 2 pictures himself to see if it is the same person.

        "

        Sure, but it is easy to look at a grainy image taken from a completely different vantage than the mugshot in less than ideal lighting with compression artefacts, and conclude that it is indeed he same person as the mugshot. There's also a lot of confirmation bias at work - the officer is expecting a match because the computer says so.

        How many time when watching a movie do you immediately notice when the star actor has been replaced by his stunt double?

        You may think that it is easy to recognise the same face in two images, but in fact it is incredibly difficult, and easy to make both a false positive and a false negative identification.

        1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

          "a grainy image taken from a completely different vantage than the mugshot in less than ideal lighting with compression artefacts,"

          I dont think this AFR is designed to pull of miracles. If a human cant do it when taking a good look at , I dont expect a Computer to do it when looking at it for 1/10 second amongst half a million other pics.

          This isnt CSI bullshit edition.

          People seem to think this technology is just pointing at random blurry images having people arre4sted in a completyely automated , no human input way.

          Again , even if the pc did pull of a fucking bladerunner - photo extrapolation miracle to turn a pixel into a name - They just go up the guy and say "ID please ..... oh , the computer was wrong , on your way sir."

          They dont fkn execute hi, on the spot judge dredd style

  10. Lee D Silver badge

    Sure, it's a detection method.

    But does it constitute evidence? I'm guessing not.

    It's no different to, say, pulling over a red Ford Fiesta because one was just involved in a burglary. You might catch them with a handful of silver and a box of tools, but more than likely you'll find a lot of scared and innocent people just going about their business. Without other evidence of actual criminality (i.e. actually tying the person captured into the original incident with OTHER evidence than "you look a bit like him"), it's no better than a poor-man's identity parade (which are embarrassingly worthless).

    As such, I don't see that it's worth spending that amount of money on, and likely that will become true as the stats for how much time was wasted / how many false-arrest claims are filed by relying on it.

    Sure, you'll get the odd tug where the guy with the red Ford Fiesta / face that look like that also has a bunch of stuff on him that he shouldn't, but presumably no better or worse than random chance if you had bothered to search anyone on the street.

    And carnivals etc. wouldn't be the best place to use it. I'd imagine city nightclubs would be much better - smaller training database but much more likely to catch the ones sneaking back in after being barred from the other club up the road, etc. I don't think those kinds of places use such things, though, relying instead on large scary men at the door to stop people entering anyway, so you might as well utilise their memory and instincts anyway.

    Honestly, if facial recognition were this good, we wouldn't need the police much at all. I can offer you myriad images of clear faces of people wanted for committing illegal acts. They are called the "wanted by police" lists. Strange, then, that they don't get flagged up in Birmingham the second they walk past any camera, for a crime they committed in Glasgow. You know why? We don't have that kind of infrastructure and capacity, and even if we did, the false positives would render the system useless in seconds.

    1. Baldrickk

      Presumably they don't get flagged up in Birmingham because the tech is being trialled in Cardiff.

      And yes, it is exactly like pulling over a car based on matching model and colour from the description of a vehicle used in a crime.

      Provided it is used properly, i.e. faces are captured only for checking against the wanted faces, then I have no problem with this. If not, well...

      If it makes the police more effective at their jobs, so they can be more effective, then I wish the best for then. If used as a way to cut numbers of police on the streets, then it's being used in the wrong way.

      1. Bernard M. Orwell

        "Provided it is used properly"

        And therein lies the issue. It may be that today, the powers in charge of it use it properly. Tommorow? Next year? Next government? Next administration? Still so sure?

        What about if and when it gets hacked by some skiddie, or extra national hackers? What about when the data from the capture gets leaked by a disgruntled employee? What about when a police officer or other authorized user decides to use it for their own ends?

        Can you be completely assured that none of these scenarios will ever occur? After all, there is evidence that they've occurred before with other systems. And if they do, is there sufficient judicial and independent oversight to ensure that the powers that be can't just bury any such incident, or excuse themselves with no public accountability?

        And if you get through all of that still nodding your head, ask yourself this: if there was a silent, suited, unaccountable, un-answering, unelected government official following you around all day taking notes and pictures would you still be nodding your head? How different is it that they are on the other side of a remote camera lens?

        You may have nothing to hide, personally, but you should fear the state that takes these steps.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "And yes, it is exactly like pulling over a car based on matching model and colour from the description of a vehicle used in a crime."

        No, it's like pulling over every single car on the planet that looks SIMILAR to the one used in a crime.

        1. Adam 52 Silver badge

          Whilst we don't have Police false positive stats we do have research papers from Facebook, Google and university researchers and they show false positive rates on a par with humans (although not trained ones). So it's reasonable to assume the Police face recognition will be as accurate as a human spotter.

          Nobody much complains about human Police spotters identifying trouble makers at football matches. So is this just luddite objections? Or are we concerned about effective enforcement of rules we're unhappy with and picking on the wrong target?

          1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

            "What about if and when it gets hacked by some skiddie, or extra national hackers? What about when the data from the capture gets leaked by a disgruntled employee? What about when a police officer or other authorized user decides to use it for their own ends?"

            Well , lets look at those horrifying scenarios:

            " hacked by some skiddie"

            So the skiddie has a database of a load of criminals and access to run pictures at it to look for a match. So he could find out if the pic he has is a criminal. Well , thats a risk already isnt it ? If the polices computers are open to skiddies walking in and soing what they want then even without this tech they could be looking up records on anyone.

            "data from the capture gets leaked by a disgruntled employee?"

            Again , the police are quite strict about this sort of thing - but if some employee with access to all the systems they have at the moment was stupid enough to do a Bradley Manning - then .... wait a minute whats "the capture" you are referring to?

            " authorized user d decides to use it for their own ends"

            Well thats the same question again. I guess they could search for their ex and get a match at a trainstation , then run over there and kill them ..... But once again without this tech they could look up someones address and do the same. In fact anyone can do that right now with the electoral reg cant they?

            So has anyone got a good and specific example of how this is a bad thing?

            If the thugs that stamp on peoples heads outside nightclubs , that end up crimewatch with the caption "We have no fucking idea who this is" are then collared buying nuggets in KFC - thats a good thing.

          2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

            Nobody much complains about human Police spotters identifying trouble makers at football matches. So is this just luddite objections?

            Nobody complains about a school crossing patrol - so what's wrong with having a drone following you 24/7 and a camera recording everything you do and everyone you meet

            1. Rameses Niblick the Third Kerplunk Kerplunk Whoops Where's My Thribble?

              Nobody complains about a school crossing patrol - so what's wrong with having a drone following you 24/7 and a camera recording everything you do and everyone you meet

              I really don't mean to cause an argument here, this is a genuine question:

              Can you please explain to me how those two situations are the same? Because frankly, I don't get it.

              Unless of course your friendly neighbourhood lollipop lady is in fact a witch who has retrofitted her stop sign to be a broomstick and is stalking you (an unlikely situation, I admit).

          3. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

            "Nobody much complains about human Police spotters identifying trouble makers at football matches. So is this just luddite objections?"

            I have no experience of Police spotters at football matches as I've assiduously avoided football for my entire adult life. So I'm open to contradiction in this. But as I understand the comment spotters would be looking for known individuals who shouldn't be there. If that's the case then their visual identifications would be subject to more robust checks on identification. If automatic facial recognition is being applied to the lousy images from typical CCTV as the only evidence then it's far from being a Luddite objection. The initial ID, human or AI, needs to be tested and distrusted until it's tested. A violent arrest as in the Denver case linked above really shouldn't be conducted on the basis of such ID.

            It's really like the blood test kits we used to give to SOCO - and used in the lab as well. The technical term was a presumptive test (it worked by detecting peroxidase activity which haemoglobin shares with several other substances such as fruit juice). The presumptive test highlights something to be followed up to decide not only is it's blood but also what species.

            Facial ID seems to be at the presumptive level - useful to tell you what's worth looking at but too liable to give false positives to be used solo.

            I see from the linked article that the FBI have ditched hair evidence. I never could understand why they were keen on it. It always seems hopeless. In 14 years I only ever used it once and that was to give an ID of a body where there were 3 alternatives; fortunately I could exclude 2 as couldn't be and that left one that could have been.

    2. Lusty

      @Lee D

      "As such, I don't see that it's worth spending that amount of money on"

      Pennies, you mean? It's about £7k to scan 200 cameras for the 74500 people at the millennium stadium. How much for 200 officers eyes for the event?

      https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/cognitive-services/face-api/

      I'm not saying I'm in favour or against the scanning, but however you look at it this stuff is cheap!

      1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

        Re: @Lee D

        "however you look at it this stuff is cheap!"

        And worth what you paid for it - ~10p a go in the example you gave.

  11. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge
    Joke

    Why are they wasting their money on this? They should just upload the photos to Facebook and let it tag all their "friends" for them.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Easier still, just criminalise having a ratboy face. You know, the sort of ugly weasel faced gits that seem to feature disproportionately on the wanted lists.

      Then the police just arrest and charge the ugly, who carry the evidence with them. And when they come out of prison, they can arrest them immediately for a repeat offence. Obviously you'd need a few more prison places, particularly in places like the East Midlands where the population appear to be particular given to having offensive faces that would put them in breach of the Facial Offences Act 2018.

      1. tiggity Silver badge

        and the gammon faces too!

        1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge

          You dont need to go that far - luckily these types all dress in the same uniform.

          1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

            "luckily these types all dress in the same uniform."

            And wear DMs on their feet.

      2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Easier still, just criminalise having a ratboy face.

        Burberry seeking missiles

  12. rmason

    More worrying for the welsh

    More worrying for the Welsh is, judging from the photo in the article, the incredibly poor quality weed they are subjected to.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: More worrying for the welsh

      More worrying for the Welsh is, judging from the photo in the article, the incredibly poor quality weed they are subjected to.

      That'll be Cymric Wyrdd, a Welsh assembly economic development project to create a Welsh recreational hash for export throughout the world. The business plan calls for 85,000 tonnes a year to be exported by 2023, creating 11,000 Welsh jobs, and bringing £7bn a year into the Welsh economy, two thirds of it going to the Welsh Assembly. The genetics are a closely guarded secret, but it is believed that IGER won a contract to cross breed nettles with orgeano, and experienced hash smokers have described as having overtones of dried burnt sheep shit, or composted squaddy socks.

      1. earl grey
        Trollface

        Re: More worrying for the welsh

        two thirds of it going to the Welsh Assembly.

        well that's a lot of smoking they're going to be doing. guessing that work will come 3rd or 4th.

  13. Unclezip

    Wait - the UK is not a surveillance state?

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Meanwhile in Portugal...

    Drugs are decriminalised and treated as an illness.

    Overdoses - Down

    New HIV infections - Down

    New Hepatitis case - Down

    Recorded Crimes - Down

    Court Costs - Down

    Still, I'm sure were winning the War On Drugs in the UK eh?

    1. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge
      Joke

      Re: Meanwhile in Portugal...

      Profits for funeral directors, HIV drugs manufacturers and any company selling tools for use by the criminal justice system - Down.

  15. chivo243 Silver badge
    Big Brother

    What about...

    Daftpunk or The Residents head gear to block this intrusion of privacy? Even a Stormtrooper helmet would be nice ;-}

    1. tiggity Silver badge

      Re: What about...

      Make a mask out of someone elses face ... but be sure to pick a non criminal

      1. chivo243 Silver badge
        Facepalm

        Re: What about...

        or Nicolas Cage or John Travolta?

        1. Rich 11 Silver badge

          Re: What about...

          I wouldn't be seen dead looking like Nicholas Cage or John Travolta.

  16. LeahroyNake

    I was there

    Just before the match started my friends phone was stolen out of her hand. She didn't give it easily and ended up on the floor. This was less than 100m from Cardiff Police station ! Some of our group heard her shout but the attacker was on a bike.

    Fingers crossed they catch the git, they took swabs for DNA matching and checked cctv but not heard anything back. I'm more worried that they will keep her DNA on a list forever and accidentally match her for something in the future :/

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I was there

      I was about to make a similar post... I suspect we share a friend.

      1. LeahroyNake

        Re: I was there

        Anonymous lol. PM me Rubarb or Portcullis ? :p

    2. Adam 52 Silver badge

      Re: I was there

      "Some of our group heard her shout but the attacker was on a bike."

      Meanwhile a PC who stood in the way of a criminal escaping on a bike got sacked for gross misconduct last week. Against policy you see, someone could have been hurt.

  17. IsJustabloke
    Facepalm

    Ah.. Wales, the comedy gold continues.

    The same country that has just called for 16 year olds to be given the vote because "they can handle it" while at the same time banning 16 year olds from getting "interesting piercings" because they're not mature enough to understand the ramifications.

    I can't see this AFR stuff backfiring at all....

    1. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge
      Coat

      Re: Ah.. Wales, the comedy gold continues.

      "I can't see this AFR stuff backfiring at all...."

      They can recognise pictures of your bum as well?! That is a bit intrusive!

      Mine's the arseless overcoat. Also, can I have the boots designed to hinder gait analysis and the Theresa May face-mask. Thanks.

      1. earl grey
        FAIL

        Re: Ah.. Wales, the comedy gold continues.

        Theresa May face-mask

        Ah, you'll be wound up and spending some time in chokey mate.

    2. Teiwaz
      Devil

      Re: Ah.. Wales, the comedy gold continues.

      Should that not be the other way round...

      Banning 16 year olds from getting "interesting piercings" because "they can handle it" .

      The same country that has just called for 16 year olds to be given the vote because not mature enough to understand the ramifications.

      Certainly better matches the usual mental politician meddling and seeking advantage.

  18. Fullbeem

    If its in use by the police now then your local council and the RSPCA probably wont be far behind in using the technology/footage

    1. Rich 11 Silver badge

      Now is the time to invest in the company which makes V-for-Vengeance face masks.

      1. Teiwaz

        Now is the time to invest in the company which makes V-for-<u>Vengeance</u> face masks.

        Thought it was Vendetta

        Personally, I think an Amber Rudd (or whomever is Home Office Minister at the time) mask is more apt.

  19. JeffyPoooh
    Coat

    This is the "New" South Wales

    Coat, Hat, Bye.

  20. RAM Raider

    Look at how that old Nokia is still working, no cracked screen, no update issues and was probably last charged in 2015.

  21. JeffyPoooh
    Pint

    "...further arrested..."

    A whole new concept.

    Imagine, being formally Released and then immediately being re-arrested for 'Attempted Escape' because you'd lost track of how many times that you'd been "further arrested".

    Constable Bobby S. Wales yells, "Hey! Where are you going? You've been Arrested and then 'Further Arrested' 17 more times, making 18 concurrent arrests in total. But you've only been formally Released from 17 of those. So you're still under 'further arrest' once. Now plus one more for Attempted Escape. That makes two as of right now. Would you like a pen and paper to help keep track?"

  22. Crisp

    The police have form for this

    Keeping DNA samples and fingerprints even after a suspect is found innocent.

    1. Teiwaz

      Re: The police have form for this

      Keeping DNA samples and fingerprints even after a suspect is found innocent.

      Perfectly sensible, given once you've had the Policing and Justice system 'steamroll' over you once, you're unlikely to be as helpful with the police anymore, twice or more, well, by that time you'd be thinking of hitting the proverbial woods with a small arsenal.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The police have form for this

      "Keeping...fingerprints..."

      Recently had to provide fresh fingerprints as part of a security clearance renewal, to be used to confirm identity by comparison with my prints on file. Forms reassured me that my fresh fingerprints would be destroyed after they'd fulfilled their brief role.

      Seems pointless since they have, and are keeping, my original prints on permanent file. Silly reassurance.

  23. Inertia

    Thank goodness that twenty quid of grass is off the streets. I'll sleep well tonight.

  24. earl grey
    Trollface

    inquiring minds want to know

    Is that south atlantic wales or south pacific wales?

  25. strum

    > a spokesperson said they wouldn't be able to make our deadline

    We can wait.

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Edging closer...

    Not at all. It is a surveillance state. Google searches get stored and introduced into databases, DNS requests, websites visited, as many emails as possible, social media, cameras everywhere.. and now facial recognition.

    If we are going to be living in such a society, well, at least use the databases to stop criminals. I do disagree with drugs being illegal, but illegal they are, so dont buy them.

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