Skip to main content
Photo of Tony Porter, Surveillance Camera Commissioner

Tony Porter

Tony Porter was appointed Surveillance Camera Commissioner in March 2014. He has a combination of business and law enforcement expertise. He is an intelligence specialist (most recently within the financial sector) and retired senior police leader. His experience spans community and business engagement, international counter terrorism and serious and organised crime.

Survey of Local Authorities Compliance with the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

Abstract image with the words'local authorities'

Earlier this year I sent a survey to LAs in England and Wales to gain a better understanding as to the extent to which they were complying with their statutory responsibilities arising from Section 33(1) of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (PoFA) and the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, in connection with their use of overt surveillance camera systems in public places.

Regulating law enforcement use of automatic facial recognition

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biometrics, CCTV, Facial Recognition Technology, Policing
Photo of people with some faces surrounded in squares

Regulating law enforcement use of automatic facial recognition is a complex area. The Commissioner blogs about the legal framework and the need for regulators and others to work together to ensure that they serve the public interest to the standards they expect, helping those who want to deploy AFR do so within a strong framework of law and guidance

How effective are Video Surveillance Systems (VSS)?

Image of two CCTV cameras

Video Surveillance Systems are operated by most Local Authorities in England and Wales and are intrinsically linked with operational policing to protect the public and ensure their safety. So how effective are they and is the cost of installing and operating those systems really worth it?