Detroit Police Department Implements New Policies on Facial Recognition Technology
The Detroit Police Department has reached a legal settlement that imposes strict limitations on the use of facial recognition technology. These new policies, which will be enforced for the next four years, aim to prevent the arrest of individuals based solely on the results of a facial recognition search or photo lineups conducted immediately after such searches. Additionally, the policies require additional evidence linking a suspect to a crime before photo lineups can be conducted solely based on facial recognition.
One of the key components of the settlement is the implementation of police training programs that educate officers about the risks and dangers associated with facial recognition technology. Furthermore, an audit of all cases since 2017 in which facial recognition was used to obtain an arrest warrant will be conducted to ensure compliance with the new policies.
The settlement came about as a result of a lawsuit filed by Roger Williams, a Black man who was wrongfully arrested after being identified by facial recognition technology. Williams was represented by lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Civil Rights Litigation Initiative at the University of Michigan Law School. The ACLU hailed the settlement as achieving “the nation’s strongest police department policies and practices constraining law enforcement’s use of this dangerous technology.” It also highlighted the fact that women and people of color are more likely to be misidentified by facial recognition technology.
Williams, who spent 30 hours in jail due to the wrongful arrest, expressed his commitment to raising awareness about the dangers of facial recognition technology. His arrest occurred when his driver’s license photo was erroneously matched with surveillance footage of a man stealing watches from a store in downtown Detroit. The security contractor responsible for providing the footage agreed that Williams was the best match, leading to his arrest. However, prosecutors later dropped the charges, and Williams will receive $300,000 as part of the settlement.
The Detroit Police Department, in its own statement, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration between the ACLU and the University of Michigan over the past year and a half. The department firmly believes that the new policies will set a national best practice and serve as a model for other agencies using facial recognition technology.
It is worth noting that several cities, including San Francisco, have already banned the use of facial recognition by law enforcement. Moreover, Microsoft recently banned police departments from using its AI technology for facial recognition. These developments reflect growing concerns about the accuracy and potential biases of facial recognition technology.
The implementation of these new policies in the Detroit Police Department marks a significant step toward ensuring responsible and accountable use of facial recognition technology in law enforcement. By addressing the risks and dangers associated with this technology, as well as the potential for misidentification, these policies strive to protect the rights and safety of individuals while upholding law enforcement objectives.