Cheshire's police and crime panel has raised concerns around the force's use of live facial recognition and AI and the impact on human rights.

The panel's role is to hold the police and crime commissioner to account.

At Friday's (September 18) meeting at Macclesfield Town Hall where commissioner Dan Price (Lab) was providing an update on how he is delivering his police and crime plan, panel members were told Cheshire is one of the safest counties in the UK.

Mr Price said overall crime was down by four per cent, there had been a 15 per cent reduction in shoplifting, 12 per cent reduction in knife crime, eight per cent reduction in burglaries and vehicle offences had fallen by seven per cent.

But panel chair Judy Snowball (CEC, Lab) questioned the use of live facial recognition.

She was particularly concerned about a statement in the report which said 'the technology helps officers identify wanted individuals and those who may pose a risk to the public'.

Councillor Snowball said: "That raises alarm bells for me on potential criminal activity, rather than criminal activity that's taking place."

"I think this meeting is coming to a position where they're very interested to understand where we're going in Cheshire with facial recognition, AI intelligence tools, and human rights and civil rights."

She added: "I would like a bit of clarification because you did say originally some time ago there was retro facial but not live facial recognition."

Independent panel member Gemma Shepherd-Etchells said there was a need to be 'really careful with the language'.

"Yes, it can be used to identify wanted individuals, but I think 'those who pose a risk to the public', well that's a very subjective term, isn't it?" she said.

"And rightly, people could object to that.

"And I think around AI and civil liberties and human rights framework, we need to be really careful on that because there are issues at play about facial recognition being biased somewhat."

Councillor Bob Hignett (WBC, Lib Dem) said: "I think the key issue with AI is how do we get the public to trust its use and that it's been adequately tested."

Mr Price told the panel: "This is about improving productivity by the use of this technology, it's certainly not about having humans removed entirely from the process."

With regard to live facial recognition, he said this was being used more now across the country.

"I think the point where it's referencing around wanted individuals and those who may pose a risk to the public, it is really saying that there are people out there that are wanted by police, and this live facial recognition technology allows us to apprehend them very quickly there and then," said Mr Price.

"I'm alive to the fact that there are concerns about civil liberties in this space…

"This is police arresting people who are wanted for crimes or for breaches of conditions, and making interventions as fast as possible."

Councillor Snowball again raised her concerns about the phrase 'may pose a risk'.

Mr Price said the wording would be changed for clarification.