The National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing have issued interim guidance telling forces in England and Wales to publish the ethnicity and nationality of individuals charged in high-profile or sensitive cases. The change, which takes effect immediately, is intended to improve transparency after criticism that forces withheld such details in past investigations. Former senior officers have cautioned that the policy should not become a blanket requirement for every charge. In a parallel move, the Home Office is deploying 10 additional Live Facial Recognition vans across seven forces, expanding technology already used by the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police. The Met says the system led to 580 arrests in the last year, including 52 sex offenders. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the rollout will help locate suspects wanted for serious crimes such as rape and violent assaults, while a public consultation will examine safeguards for the technology. Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said both measures form part of the government’s plan to rebuild neighbourhood policing amid rising retail crime and street theft. Official figures show shoplifting offences in England and Wales reached 530,643 in the year to March 2025, a 20% increase on the previous 12 months. Civil-liberties groups, however, warned that wider use of facial recognition risks expanding unwarranted surveillance without a clear legal framework.