The Met Police has revealed that there were fewer incidents of serious violence at Notting Hill Carnival compared to previous years.
However, Met Police officers made 528 arrests over the bank holiday as Europe’s biggest street party returned to the streets of west London.
There were 200 arrests on Sunday and 328 on Monday, with facial recognition software leading to 61 arrests.
The technology uses drones that can identify individuals from up to 80m (260ft) away, which then feed images to officers.
The British Transport Police added that it made 30 arrests over the weekend.
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The Met Police said its officers responded to four reports of stabbing or slashing incidents, none of which led to life-threatening injuries.
It comes after a number of heartbreaking murders at last year’s event. Cher Maximen, 32, died after being stabbed in front of her three-year-old daughter.
Over a million people are thought to have attended the colourful carnival as crowds lined the streets and dancers paraded through west London, with music and community spirit on full display throughout the two-day celebration.
Sunday was dedicated to families, with the Children’s Day Parade creating a more relaxed atmosphere. On Monday, the Carnival reached its peak, featuring large sound systems and elaborate floats.
There were 167 arrests for drugs offences, 50 for possession of an offensive weapon, 21 for sexual offences, four for violence with injury and 49 for other violence.
The Met Police said there were 55 arrests for assaults on officers, with one officer taken to hospital with a broken nose and another for a serious bite to the hand.
The arrests during the event followed a series of interventions in the weeks leading up to Carnival, which saw 100 people arrested as well as the seizure of 11 firearms and more than 40 knives.
Of the 200 arrests on Sunday, 52 took place on the approaches to Carnival, with 148 arrests taking place in the area traditionally recognised as the “event footprint”.
On Monday, the number arrested on the approaches was 83, with 245 arrests on the event footprint.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward, the policing commander for Notting Hill Carnival this year, said: “Once again the growing size and popularity of Notting Hill Carnival required one of the biggest mobilisations of police officers this year, with over 7,000 officers deployed on each of the two days.
“Our policing operation was focused on keeping people safe by targeting those who were coming to Carnival to cause harm to others, so the reduction in incidents of serious violence compared to previous years is very welcome.
“Officers were deployed in significant numbers at the event and on the approaches to and from it, tasked with intervening proactively to prevent crime and in particular, violence.
“They were assisted by the deployment of live facial recognition cameras, a network of CCTV, the police helicopter and knife arches at key entry points which were used effectively in conjunction with additional stop and search powers.
“Live facial recognition proved particularly successful, with the technology helping officers to identify almost 100 people of interest over two days who, without it, would likely have been able to go unnoticed in the busy crowds.”
Mr Ward thanked the carnival’s organisers who had spoken out in the days and weeks leading up to Notting Hill Carnival, urging anyone who was planning to start confrontations to stay at home, and praised those who planned the event for making improvements to crowd safety.
He explained that the interventions had helped to make this year’s carnival a safer event.
But Mr Ward also warned there were still incidents of overcrowding at the event, where the police had to intervene.
He warned that there needs to be a “continued focus” on improving overcrowding at the carnival.
The second part of an independent review into crowd safety is expected to be released in October, with a number of recommendations likely to be made.
Mr Ward continued: “It is crucial that additional funding is identified at the earliest opportunity to ensure the event organisers, with the support of the wider partnership, are able to implement those recommendations in full.
“Any funding should reflect the full costs of delivering a safe Carnival, including policing costs, and be in a form that gives certainty and sustainability for future years.”
Live facial recognition was used by the Met Police at two locations on the approach to Notting Hill Carnival.
The Met said there were 97 alerts leading to 61 arrests.
There were 30 registered sex offenders stopped, allowing officers to check they were complying with their conditions.
One of the registered sex offenders was arrested for being in breach of a Sexual Risk Order while another was found in possession of a knife on his way to Carnival.
Four people were arrested for being wanted on recall to prison, including two for violent offences and one who had been wanted since 2015.
There were 13 arrests for offences involving violence against women and girls.
On top of the Met Police’s efforts, the British Transport Police (BTP) also deployed a dedicated drone team at Notting Hill Carnival for the first time, to help spot any emergencies and allow officers to respond quickly.
High definition optical and thermal cameras were used to help keep the public safe.
The BTP said it made 13 arrests on Sunday and a further 17 arrests on Monday.
The force said four of its officers were assaulted over the weekend and people were arrested for drug offences, having offensive weapons and assaulting emergency workers.
Assistant Chief Constable Sean O’Callaghan said: "Our overriding priority over this weekend’s Notting Hill Carnival has been to protect the travelling public and prevent criminality.
“The vast majority of people came together to enjoy the celebration and I am pleased to say the weekend passed without any serious incidents on the railway network.
“I’d like to thank not only our officers for their dedication and hard work throughout the weekend in particularly hot temperatures, but also the many welcoming and supportive members of the public they’ve encountered."
