Topic: Surrey Police

Surrey police shot and killed a man on the steps of Guildford Cathedral, sparking discussion about the presence of armed officers in the United Kingdom. While British police are traditionally unarmed, heavily armed units are increasingly visible at airports and during high-profile incidents. The event coincides with political fallout involving Home Secretary Jackie Smith and the arrest of MP Damian Green.

Surrey police are testing a mobile device called "Lantern" that allows officers to scan fingerprints on the street and check them against a national database. The system uses encrypted wireless transmissions to match prints against 7.5 million records on file. This technology is viewed as a significant step toward pervasive biometric surveillance of the general public.