Police to activate facial recognition on SmartView security cameras next week

The Hong Kong Police Force will activate facial recognition capabilities across its SmartView closed-circuit television surveillance network on November 16, Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming announced on Saturday. 

Speaking to the media following a passing-out parade at the Hong Kong Police College today, Chow stated that the deployment of automated facial recognition technology is intended to provide stronger protection for law-abiding residents while serving as an active deterrent against criminal activity.

Mask evasion concerns dismissed as police chief stresses detection capability

Addressing media inquiries regarding whether the automated platform could accurately identify offenders wearing face masks or disguises, Chow explained that the police force would refrain from disclosing specific technical parameters and operational limitations to prevent individuals with criminal intent from exploiting the information to evade law enforcement.

He emphasized that regardless of the concealment methods or disguises suspects might adopt, the police force possesses comprehensive technical capability and investigative expertise to apprehend perpetrators and bring them to justice. 

He added that the implementation of facial recognition technology offers reassurance and security to the law-abiding public while establishing heightened monitoring over prospective lawbreakers, expressing hope that the system would compel would-be offenders to reconsider the consequences of their actions before committing crimes.

Phase two expansion targets 60,000 cameras territory-wide by 2028

SmartView was formally introduced in 2024 to enhance crime prevention and public safety by installing closed-circuit cameras across known crime blackspots and densely populated public spaces throughout the territory. Police records show that as of June 30, 2026, footage captured by the camera network had contributed to solving 1,659 criminal cases, including serious offenses such as murder, robbery, and wounding.

The surveillance initiative is a government-led territory-wide program executed by the police in close coordination with various public departments. 

The initial phase concluded late last year with the installation of approximately 5,000 police cameras across 18 districts, alongside the integration of about 6,000 third-party feeds operated by other government agencies and public institutions. 

Following policy blueprints set out in the 2025 Policy Address, authorities are advancing the second phase of the scheme, aiming to install more than 20,000 additional cameras annually to achieve a comprehensive network of roughly 60,000 cameras across Hong Kong by 2028.

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