Halton Police Board Awards $1.18M Facial Recognition Contract to IDEMIA

The Halton Police Board in Ontario, Canada, has approved a $1.18-million contract with IDEMIA Identity and Security Canada for the implementation of facial recognition technology, following similar deployments by neighboring law enforcement agencies.

The system, which has been operational in Peel and York Region police departments since May 2024, will require an initial investment of $362,764 for installation and first-year maintenance, followed by annual maintenance costs of $180,643 for the subsequent four years.

In a move to enhance investigative capabilities, Halton Police will partner with Peel and York Police to share access to their respective mugshot databases. Deputy Chief Jeff Hill emphasized that the system will be used strictly for investigative purposes, with matches serving only as leads requiring further investigation.

“It doesn’t mean if we identify someone, you are automatically guilty,” stated Deputy Chief Hill. “There will be a whole background investigative component that [police] will have to do to corroborate that information.”

The implementation comes as IDEMIA continues to expand its presence in the identity verification sector, having secured several major contracts globally for various biometric solutions. The company has previously won significant contracts for biometric systems in India, the UK, and Lithuania.

Halton Police Chief Stephen Tanner, who co-chairs the National Police Services National Advisory Committee, expressed frustration at current limitations on accessing national databases. “It’s ridiculous that we’re not able to search the national database of all bank robbers when we have a photo of a bank robber,” Tanner stated.

To address privacy concerns, the police service has confirmed it will use only legally obtained images for comparison with existing mugshot databases. Bill Payne, Director of IT for Halton Police, announced plans for public engagement to address questions and explain the technology’s impact on the community.

The three police services are currently working together to establish unified policies for the system’s use. “If we all do it the same and are very strict with the technology and how we implement it, we’ll have basically the same product among the three precincts,” Deputy Chief Hill explained.