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Milwaukee police considering trading mugshots for facial recognition tech

Milwaukee police have relied on neighboring departments for facial recognition use in the past. Now the department is hoping to acquire it for itself.

"We recognize the very delicate balance between advancement in technology and ensuring we as a department do not violate the rights of all of those in this diverse community," Milwaukee Police Chief of Staff Heather Hough said during an April 17 meeting. Last year, a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report found the technology has been rapidly adopted by federal agencies with little oversight and raised particular risks for people of color and women. The technology's capabilities and shortcomings are changing quickly, as evidenced by research from Thaddeus Johnson, an assistant professor at the Andrew Young School of Public Studies at Georgia State University.

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