IN THE last few years, technology has changed a lot and police forces have been one of the bodies to benefit from the changes.

One of the most recent changes has been Automatic Facial Recognition (AFR), which was used for the first time in Wales earlier this year during the Champions League Final in Cardiff

South Wales Police have previously said AFR ‘Locate' enabled trained officers to monitor the movement of people at strategic locations in and around the city centre.

A spokeswoman for the force said that up to twelve camera positions were established - four mobile vans and eight fixed locations - to identify people who existed on pre-determined watch lists.

She said: “Each watch list included wanted and missing persons, persons of interest and any other potential suspects.

“We were the first force in the UK to have a positive match using AFR Locate, leading to the arrest of a 34-year-old man wanted on a recall to prison.”

Superintendent Glyn Fernquest said he was involved in that trial of AFR.

He said: “We are long way away from using AFR in Gwent, we are in consultation with South Wales Police at the moment so it is going to take a while.

“We are in very infant stages.”

Mr Fernquest said they are currently trialling that AFR works.

He explained that AFR works in a similar manner to Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology – it scans through a crowd but only flags up relevant people, such as people they already have custody shots of.

He said AFR could also be programmed to search for a person in a crowd.

The officer added: “It makes sense to work with South Wales Police and share the cost.

“You want to make sure the equipment the forces use are compatible – if you buy a new piece of kit, you want it to be the same.”

Mr Fernquest said the focus is now on ensuring the technology is “legal and fair”, as well as working out policy and procedures.

He said they need to decide on issues such as how, when and why you use it. It could be used if the force had concerns a well-known criminal was in an area, for example.

“We will not be using it for no apparent reason,” he said.

Another big change in policing in the last few years have been body cameras. The rollout of body worn cameras throughout Gwent Police commenced in September 2015 and training took place for all officers with sessions running until February 2016.

The force has previously said that all officers are trained on the legislation and equipment before being permitted to use the body worn cameras.

Mr Fernquest said that every officer gets one when starting a shift, collecting it from a rack.

He said: “It is at an officer’s discretion when to use it.

“If you are out walking around Newport, the camera may be on at all times.

“Another example is, if you get a call about a domestic abuse situation, the officer will turn the camera on its way to the call.”

Mr Fernquest said that, when attending to those domestic violence calls, it often only involves two people so it is one person’s word against another.

“However, the camera allows you the record the aftermath and get primary evidence,” he said. “If I took statements from 20 people, I would get 20 different versions.

“A camera has no opinion – it just records. It is an independent way of capturing an instant.”

Mr Fernquest said they also speed up the process, as it may save time getting statements. The footage may even get the person to admit the offence after watching the video.

“We have had people apologising to us because they can’t remember what they did because they were under the influence of drink or drugs - and then you show them the video,” he said.

The officer said the body cameras “moderate people’s behaviour” as it is recording everything they say and do.

“You can’t miss the camera – it has a red, flashing light,” he said. “It makes them calm down.”

He continued: “It is also useful when getting a complaint about an officer’s behaviour. The camera catches everybody’s behaviour – both the members of the public and the officer.

“It gives members of the public confidence. For example, when doing a stop and search, it allows you to record what is being said and what is being searched.

“For a stop and search, you have to take the person somewhere private and there probably won’t be any other witnesses.

“The camera is an independent witness.”

Mr Fernquest said body cameras are a piece of equipment people have to get used to – like CCTV.

There have been numerous incidents where body worn cameras have helped with investigations and court cases, he said.

Giving an example, he mentioned an incident at Newport’s Celtic Manor Resort in November last year where a couple’s unruly birthday celebrations ended with one of them being tasered twice after assaulting a police officer.

The incident was captured in the officer’s body cameras.

Earlier this year, an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) recommended that Gwent Police should remind all officers wearing body cameras to switch the device on to help ensure best evidence is captured.

The investigation followed the inquest into the death of Cerys Yemm and Matthew Williams at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed in November 2014. When an officer attended the scene, he forgot to switch the camera on, the inquest heard.

He continued: “Our staff all thing it is a good thing. There is a definite movement towards technology – officers have to come back to the office less and less.

“Technology allows us to speed up the paperwork, save us time writing statements.

“However, technology doesn’t solve crime. It is an addition to a police officer.”

Other pieces being used by police include drones – which can be used in a search for a missing person, for example - and mobile phones – which allow officers to deal with enquiries.

“Officers do a lot of work from their phones, it allows them to deal with things from the site,” he added.