Police have revealed plans to adopt facial recognition in their citywide surveillance network by the end of this year, with officers looking for "strategic locations" to deploy the technology to investigate crimes.

Eric Leung, a senior superintendent from the force's operations wing, said many new security cameras were already equipped with facial recognition functions.

"We are identifying what the strategic locations we need to install [the cameras at]... When our backend is ready, then facial recognition can be activated," he said.

"If there is a suspect or if there is a high-risk missing person, you have his or her identity or facial features, you can input that data into a system, and ask the system if any camera captures that person, to alert the investigation officers."

The force has been setting up surveillance cameras across Hong Kong since last year under an initiative called "SmartView".

Apart from stationary vantage points, the devices were also installed on about 60 police vehicles as of July.

Discussions were also under way for the force to gain access to video surveillance feeds from the Transport Department, the Housing Department, and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, as well as the MTR Corporation.

Police said they would begin incorporating surveillance footage from other government departments and organisations in the coming months, with hopes of completing the process in "two to three years".

"Our system, with other systems, may have different specifications. We may need some upgrades or install some equipment…so that both systems can be integrated," Leung noted.

The next step, according to the senior superintendent, is to study the feasibility of incorporating surveillance feeds of public places captured by private properties such as malls, industrial buildings and commercial towers.

He was confident the scheme would receive support and cooperation from the private sector.