The National Police Service (NPS) on Tuesday launched a Facial Recognition system as part of the upgrade on the Integrated Command and Control System (ICCS).
According to the Inspector General of Police Joseph Kipchirchir Boinett, the revamped ICCS system will cover both Nairobi and Mombasa.
"The technology was installed in partnership with a Japanese electronics company and will help in fast and accurate identification of suspects," a statement from Boinett reads.
The incorporation of Facial Recognition capability is a major milestone in the system which among other things is used in intelligent and efficient security management in public transport.
Previously, the CCTV cameras installed along major roads and highways have had Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) Control System which helps in tracking movement of vehicles especially in cases of crime.
This technology is part of the Critical Incident Management Suite (CIMS) monitored by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Among other things, the CIMS helps in containing and managing security situations through a clearly defined command structure by availing quick and accurate data to the security bosses to evaluate occurrences.
The facial recognition technology helps the crime busters to apprehend suspects by feeding photographs of the culprits into a video surveillance network which is powered by artificial intelligence.
This system is connected to thousands of cameras in the cities which scan the street, instantly analyzing the faces of everyone on sight.
When the algorithms fed into the ICCS system match with someone in the crowd, the system instantly raises alarm and officers can rush to the scene and take the suspect into custody.
Besides, the state's facial recognition software can be used as an alternative when law enforcement agencies have difficulty identifying a suspect using fingerprints.
In the United States, some of the photographs used as a reference for the ICCS facial recognition feature are obtained from the state's Motor Vehicle Administration records, the prisons inmate case records and police mugshots.
