Detroit Board of Police Commissioners clash with chief over use of facial recognition technology

Commissioners say chief acted secretively

DETROIT – The Detroit Board of Police Commissioners is meeting Thursday to decide on a plan that would put facial recognition technology on traffic cameras around the city.

Some of the commissioners believe the department was not transparent with the proposal to move forward with facial recognition technology, a proposal that's still up for debate.

Commissioners are still trying to figure out if it's in the best interest of the Detroit Police Department to use the technology as it sparked a debate nationwide and in Detroit.

Police Chief James Craig is all for the use, but commissioners expressed to the chief he created a divide by trying to move forward what they consider secretively around the commissioners.

"You said there was no secret. You were purchasing the software. I agree with commissioner Burton it should have been a conversation with this board. I believe if there had been conversation I don't think the would be as much distrust in the software," Detroit Police Commissioner Chair Lisa Carter said.

"I admit if I known what I know today I would have done it that way," Craig said.

Watch the video above for the full report.


About the Authors

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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