New smart cameras set to point out yobs to doormen

Two local computer firms are currently developing an innovative system of cameras which can be installed at pubs, bars and nightclubs, using facial-recognition software to share real-time information on the whereabouts of anti-social offenders.

The system would exploit the high-speed internet connections provided by the Digital Region network to enable anyone being ejected from a nightspot to be instantly banned from other participating premises across the city.

The system is set to be trialled in Sheffield city centre next year, with project leaders already suggesting it could be extended in the future to local neighbourhood watch schemes.

George Taylor, head of internet firm Digital City Region Broadband – one of the companies involved in the project – said: "We think ultimately this will make Sheffield a much safer place.

"We aim to deploy a real-time facial identification service which will act as an automatic security guard that never forgets a face.

"The police use similar technology to identify wanted people, but we can utilise the capability to improve security in pubs and clubs.

"The service can identify, automatically, and in real-time, people from CCTV to make premises more secure. A trouble-maker who has been ejected from a premises can then be 'flash-banned' across the city.

"Applications could also extend to reducing underage drinking."

Mr Taylor added: "The complex technology system can extract the facial features from an image and compare these against images already stored in an existing database.

"The search will be completed in a matter of seconds, and if a match is recorded we can relay alarm information in real-time."

Currently the pressure group People United Against Crime circulates hard-copy photographs of persistent anti-social offenders to many of the 900 licensed premises in Sheffield each week.

Chief executive David Ransom said the new scheme would offer a massive improvement.

He said: "This digital version of the service would significantly streamline the process, saving money and enhancing security."

Vast amounts of visual data would inevitably be collected on innocent members of the public.

But Simon Wing of Bull Information Systems – another firm involved in the scheme – said this would be held securely.

He said: "The potentially sensitive data would be located within our secure Barnsley data centre.

"This solution saves the licensee the headache of data protection compliance, as all material is located off-site within our secure environment."