The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) says it has not decided whether to expand its use of facial recognition technology, citing the need for ongoing public dialogue. The announcement comes amid formal opposition from city officials and civil rights organizations who warn of potential impacts on marginalized communities.
“We are in continued conversations with the public related to FRT (facial recognition technology) and have not made any decisions,” an MPD spokesperson said. The department has discussed a potential agreement with Biometrica, a data and identity platform that brokers access to third-party facial recognition services for law enforcement.
City and community pushback
In July, the Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission (ERC) unanimously passed a resolution opposing MPD’s use of facial recognition, citing studies showing higher misidentification rates for people of color and women, and a lack of evidence that such systems improve public safety. Earlier this year, eleven Milwaukee Common Council members wrote to Police Chief Jeffrey Norman urging the department not to adopt the technology, warning it could harm community trust.
The ACLU of Wisconsin has called for strict limits or a complete ban on facial recognition. Advocacy Director Amanda Merkwae said the technology poses “profound risks of discrimination or civil rights violations” that remain “unacceptably high, even if a policy was in place.”
Existing use and unanswered questions
While MPD has not implemented a citywide program, it has used facial recognition in specific investigations. In July, the technology was employed to identify a homicide suspect from doorbell camera footage, illustrating both its investigative potential and reliance on existing surveillance networks. Through the department’s Community Connect Milwaukee program, 1,410 residential cameras are registered, with 965 offering direct access to police.
Key policy details remain unresolved. MPD has not disclosed proposed match confidence thresholds, human review requirements, data retention rules, or terms of any future contract with Biometrica. Civil rights groups argue that without transparent safeguards, any expansion could increase the risk of wrongful identification and unlawful surveillance.
The debate over facial recognition in Milwaukee reflects a broader national conversation on the technology’s role in policing. As MPD weighs its next steps, public engagement and the shaping of clear policy standards are expected to remain central to the decision-making process.
Sources: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, Wisconsin Justice Initiative, Fox6 Milwaukee
–
By Cass Kennedy
