TLDR:
- Dallas Police Department will begin using facial recognition technology.
- They have contracted with ClearView AI to scrape the internet for images and use AI to identify suspects.
The Dallas Police Department is set to implement facial recognition technology to assist in catching individuals suspected of crimes. The department will be using ClearView AI, a controversial program that scrapes the internet for billions of pictures from social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The program uses artificial intelligence to identify individuals that the police are looking for. Police Chief Eddie Garcia stated that they plan to roll out the program in six months and have already used it in individual cases, including identifying a suspected child pornographer. The department has expressed confidence in the program’s ability to improve investigations and catch suspects in large crowds.
The department has stated that they will have a robust policy in place to ensure that the technology is used responsibly and will not allow for fishing expeditions. Investigators will be required to have specific suspects accused of specific crimes and have their actions peer-reviewed by a supervisor. City councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn expressed support for the technology, seeing it as efficient and the next step in police work. Major Stephen Williams highlighted the potential benefits of the technology in identifying individuals in places with large crowds, such as sporting events and concerts. The department will be funding the program through grant money outside of the city budget.