Turning Face: Ethical Use of Facial Recognition

The increased availability of facial recognition (FR) software puts law enforcement in a precarious situation: how to best utilize cutting edge technology while being cognizant of software limitations and legal challenges. This presentation will focus on the proper use of FR, including least invasive means, biases, required training, supervision, and public accountability. We will discuss how building a Facial Recognition Unit and staffing it with individuals who have a natural eye for recognizing faces, abiding by a stringent facial recognition policy, routinely completing bias training, peer review match results, and publicizing stats can build trust in our communities. We will also discuss at what juncture FR should be used in an investigation and its evidentiary value.