The debate over facial recognition gets even more heated when it comes to the technology’s use by law enforcement. A 2016 study found that at least a quarter of state and local police departments have the ability to run facial recognition searches. Many departments say the tech allows them to track down suspects much faster than traditional methods do.
How does that work? Typically, police upload an image of a suspect to a computer that has facial recognition software. (The photo could come from a store security camera or from a phone.) The software scans the image and compares it with images in police databases, which include images of people who were previously arrested. Many states also allow police to use the software to compare a suspect’s image to driver’s license photos.
Police say the technology, which can search through millions of images in seconds, saves them valuable time. In New York City alone, authorities say, it led to nearly 1,000 arrests last year. In other places, facial recognition software has helped police nab suspected jewel thieves and a mass shooter, among others.