Robert Williams : “Facial Recognition Changes Post Detroit Arrest”

By | July 2, 2024

facial recognition changes wrongful arrest Detroit
facial recognition impact wrongful arrest Detroit.

Accident – Death – Obituary News : The Detroit Police Department has recently made significant changes to its use of facial recognition technology following a lawsuit settlement. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has hailed this settlement as groundbreaking.

The policy changes, which were implemented as part of a settlement with Robert Williams, a man who was wrongfully arrested in Detroit in 2020 due to a false identification by facial recognition technology, mark a significant shift in how the Detroit police force operates.

Robert Williams expressed his satisfaction with the progress, stating, “We believe this is a step in the right direction, and we are very pleased to have reached this point.”

One of the most notable policy changes is that Detroit police officers are no longer allowed to make arrests or conduct photo lineups solely based on facial recognition results. Instead, they are required to carry out traditional police work to corroborate any leads generated by the technology.

Phil Mayor from the ACLU of Michigan emphasized the importance of this change, stating, “Get a facial recognition lead, and then they go out and do old-fashioned police work. And see if there’s actually any reason to believe that the person who was identified as a lead through facial recognition might have committed the crime.”

Furthermore, police officers are now mandated to undergo additional training on facial recognition technology. They are also required to disclose when the technology was used in making an arrest and to highlight any known flaws in the technology.

Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes of the Detroit Police Department expressed confidence that these new practices will prevent future misidentifications. He emphasized that facial recognition technology remains a valuable tool for the police force, not only for apprehending suspects but also for exonerating innocent individuals.

Hayes confirmed that the updated policies have already been put into effect and welcomed the changes, expressing hope that they would serve as a model for other law enforcement agencies.

The ACLU noted that Robert Williams was the first reported case in the country of a person wrongfully arrested due to facial recognition technology. Since then, they have identified at least six similar cases, with the majority of those wrongfully arrested being black individuals. While some cities have banned facial recognition technology altogether, many lack comprehensive policies governing its use.

The ACLU expressed hope that Detroit’s stringent regulations would set a precedent for other jurisdictions across the country to follow..

– facial recognition changes after wrongful arrest in Detroit
– facial recognition wrongful arrest Detroit.

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *