Fingerprint data and automated facial recognition are more reliable ways of identifying a person than other methods. Biometric data is particularly useful in preventing, detecting and investigating the most serious crimes. 

The police already use the suspects' facial images and fingerprint data in crime prevention. The use of facial images held in passport and identity card registers would bring significant additional benefits, as digitalisation has increased the importance of images and video in crime prevention and investigation. In practice, fingerprint comparisons would be used less often than image data.