Police Circumvent FRT Bans by Asking Neighbors for Help

Police in major US cities have found a way to bypass bans on facial recognition technology by requesting help from neighboring towns with fewer restrictions.

According to a review of police documents by the Washington Post, the practice has been identified in cities like Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, California. The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) and Austin Police Department (APD) have both sought assistance from nearby departments, though their success rates differ. Since 2019, SFPD has requested facial recognition searches five times without receiving any matches. Conversely, APD has made at least 13 requests since 2020, resulting in several arrests.

The use of facial recognition searches by SFPD and APD was reportedly conducted without official department authorization. Both departments have stated that they would investigate potential violations of city ordinances. The SFPD noted it had not faced any consequences from the city but did not provide details about any disciplinary actions against officers.

Clearview AI, which built its controversial facial recognition platform by trawling photos on the web, prohibits sharing data with individuals from other government agencies, yet the practice of cross-departmental requests continues.

Former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin has highlighted concerns about police officers denying the use of facial recognition despite evidence to the contrary. This in turn has led to prosecutors being cautious about filing charges in cases where such technology might have been used.

Boudin mentioned that officers have used “be on the lookout” flyers to share photos across departments, which could then be run through facial recognition software, providing plausible deniability.

While police use of facial recognition remains controversial, there have been signs of growing public support for such tech. San Francisco voters recently approved Proposition E, which allows the police department greater flexibility in using surveillance technologies, including facial recognition. This measure, supported by Mayor London Breed, aims to enhance public safety by granting police broader operational capabilities, such as using face-scanning cameras and drones without needing prior approval from the Board of Supervisors.

Sources: The Washington Post, The Register

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May 21, 2024 – by Cass Kennedy