Police to access driver's licence

[Buckman]

Apparently with a new law being passed the police now have access to over 50 million driver's licence so that they can also check facial details. Apparently this has caused outrage in some quarters.

I have no objection to the police accessing my licence details and I think it is a good thing as too many irresponsible drivers on the road who do not have a driving licence, insurance etc.

Do you have any objections to the police accessing a database with your driver licence details?

 

[Jcloughie]

I thought they always did. Seems logical to me. But then I am an advocate of ID cards.

John

 

[otherclive]

No objections at all as they have had access to a significant amount of info on the driver, insurance, and car. This new one though does widen it beyond traffic/motoring queries. Presumably passport photos could be another option to be used.

 

[Buckman]

No objections at all as they have had access to a significant amount of info on the driver, insurance, and car. This new one though does widen it beyond traffic/motoring queries. Presumably passport photos could be another option to be used.

From what I gather it is for facial recognition? Probably due to numerous fake licences or someone pretending to be someone else.

Also as it is not mandatory to carry a licence, if stopped the driver could provide false details. Facial recognition should stop that practice.

Again if stopped and the driver has "left their licence at home" although they do not have a licence at all, at present not much the police can do except issue a ticket for them to produce their licence at a later date. The driver is then allowed on their way even though they do not have a driver's licence.

I am sure Mr Plod can give us better information than any layman.

 

[otherclive]

From what I gather it is for facial recognition? Probably due to numerous fake licences or someone pretending to be someone else.

Also as it is not mandatory to carry a licence, if stopped the driver could provide false details. Facial recognition should stop that practice.

Again if stopped and the driver has "left their licence at home" although they do not have a licence at all, at present not much the police can do except issue a ticket for them to produce their licence at a later date. The driver is then allowed on their way even though they do not have a driver's licence.

I am sure Mr Plod can give us better information than any layman.

It’s wider than traffic enquires which have had access for a long while. This step is effectively to place all drivers with a licence into a system that can match their facial details with those taken by CCTV, officers body cams, and other sources of facial info when investigations other possible offences. IE riot, protest infringement, mugging etc

I remember years ago after I told my boss I’d been to en election speach given by Jonathon Porritt, who is now a pillar of society, but then his “green” ideas were considered radical and potentially subversive. My boss made it very clear I should not go to anymore “ left leaning/“ meetings, as I was likely to be photographed and it could affect my career. Warning duly noted.

Police to be able to run face recognition searches on 50m driving licence holders

Exclusive: Privacy campaigners say clause in new criminal justice bill will put all UK drivers on ‘permanent police lineup’

www.theguardian.com

 

[RogerL]

I thought they always did. Seems logical to me. But then I am an advocate of ID cards.

John

+1 on all 3 points

On Police Interceptors TV shows they often download a driver's image onto their phone/laptop and compare it to the driver they've stopped

 

[Buckman]

It’s wider than traffic enquires which have had access for a long while. This step is effectively to place all drivers with a licence into a system that can match their facial details with those taken by CCTV, officers body cams, and other sources of facial info when investigations other possible offences. IE riot, protest infringement, mugging etc

Even better as hopefully it will curtail the criminal activities of some.

 

[Hutch]

No objections at all as they have had access to a significant amount of info on the driver, insurance, and car. This new one though does widen it beyond traffic/motoring queries. Presumably passport photos could be another option to be used.

My driver's licence photo was transferred from my passport photo so they are already linked.

 

[Beardy]

No photo on mine.

Anyone else still got an old pink/green paper licence?

 

[otherclive]

My driver's licence photo was transferred from my passport photo so they are already linked.

My NHS app required a photo from driving licence or passport ( often common now) and then a live video feed from my phone with me looking into the camera and speaking a PIN that was superimposed below my face. The photos were compared to my video input and I then got confirmation that my details had been accepted for full access to the NHS app features.

 

[Beachball]

No objections for the police to check my UK drivers licence photo of me and insurance .

 

[otherclive]

No objections for the police to check my UK drivers licence photo of me and insurance .

This is a new procedure not related to traffic offences. More like a 50 million person identity parade.

 

[RogerL]

No photo on mine.

Anyone else still got an old pink/green paper licence?

There can't be many of you left with an old paper licence - it automatically gets changed to a photo-licence when you renew at age 70, or change address or name.

 

[Beachball]

There can't be many of you left with an old paper licence - it automatically gets changed to a photo-licence when you renew at age 70, or change address or name.

Well i have a pink one and it was renewed and it has a photo- licence and i am not 70 and been living at this address for 7 years now .

 

[RogerL]

Well i have a pink one and it was renewed and it has a photo- licence and i am not 70 and been living at this address for 7 years now .

So you have a photo-licence!

I "forgot" to return my old green paper licence when I reapplied at age 70 so I still have it - it's now just a souvenir as it has no value.

 

[Dustydog]

No objections other than the photos don’t do me justice🤪
I wonder if it works for those who wear masks for whatever reason ? Exemption?🙀

 

[Mr Plodd]

Do nothing wrong and there is nothing to fear from such abilities. It's only those with "something to hide" who have anything to fear from it.
Police have been able to check driving licence details via radio at the roadside, but ONLY to check for a disqualification etc. It required a form submission (DQ1) to DVLA to obtain a hard copy of driver history such as endorsements. It may well have changed since I left in 2005!

 

[Raywood]

To me the only people who would be worried by this is those who have something to hide.

 

[Beardy]

There can't be many of you left with an old paper licence - it automatically gets changed to a photo-licence when you renew at age 70, or change address or name.

Just googled it out of interest. There are still around 7 milion according to DVLA, a lot more than I expected.

 

[RogerL]

Just googled it out of interest. There are still around 7 milion according to DVLA, a lot more than I expected.

Yes, a lot more than I expected

 

[Beardy]

Do nothing wrong and there is nothing to fear from such abilities. It's only those with "something to hide" who have anything to fear from it.
Police have been able to check driving licence details via radio at the roadside, but ONLY to check for a disqualification etc. It required a form submission (DQ1) to DVLA to obtain a hard copy of driver history such as endorsements. It may well have changed since I left in 2005!

Over the last 6 years, more than 1500 people have been dismissed and barred from ever working in policing again. I wonder how many of those would have had access to my personal details.

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.

 

[otherclive]

Over the last 6 years, more than 1500 people have been dismissed and barred from ever working in policing again. I wonder how many of those would have had access to my personal details.

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.

My only concerns would be the regulations applicable to the use of the process. It should be subject to independent audit. There’s currently a bill going through Parliament that if approved as written it requires in certain circumstances that judges have to ignore some applicable laws. This is in Britain not some totalitarian state.

 

[Jcloughie]

Over the last 6 years, more than 1500 people have been dismissed and barred from ever working in policing again. I wonder how many of those would have had access to my personal details.

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.

That might point to poor police recruiting checks and lack of periodic checks as highlighted in some recent cases.

I think I had more checks as a teacher.

I am very much pro-police. But I have met some idiots with a lack of communication skills. And a them and us attitude.

John

 

[GaryB]

I still have a paper license, last moved house in 1999 so never had to renew it! Only 54 years old so a while before I have to change it.

 

[Buckman]

I say bring it on and hopefully it will make the job of catching perpetrators a lot easier. It should have been introduced years ago! If you have done nothing wrong, then there is nothing to fear.