US Law Enforcement Battles Opposition to Facial Recognition Tech

Published Date : 7/28/2025 

Police departments in Milwaukee and Oklahoma City are navigating the complex landscape of facial recognition technology, facing community opposition and legal challenges. This article explores the different approaches and concerns surrounding the implementation of facial recognition systems. 

Police in the U.S. are increasingly determined to deploy facial recognition technology (FRT), but there is less alignment on the specific details, such as the biometric reference database to use or how suspects should be identified. In Milwaukee, the community is opposing a proposed FRT implementation, while the Oklahoma City police force has signed a contract with Clearview AI, a facial recognition firm that has faced multiple lawsuits over its collection of biometrics from social media and other public sources.

A blog from the Wisconsin Justice Initiative states that the Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission has unanimously approved a resolution opposing the implementation of facial recognition technology by the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD). The FRT in question is part of a system provided by Biometrica. Unlike many facial recognition systems, Biometrica does not use standard CCTV cameras and does not store records or images of anyone who has not been previously confirmed as a felony convict, a wanted suspect, or a missing person. It claims to use a deidentification process designed to be compliant with GDPR.

Despite these claims, the Equal Rights Commission’s resolution calls on chair Tony Snell to draft and send a formal letter to Police Chief Jeffrey Norman, highlighting the commission’s findings following a June hearing. The resolution states that the material acquired by the commission “affirms that FRT carries the potential for disproportionate impacts and inaccuracies, especially when applied to individuals in protected classes.” Emilio De Torre, executive director of the Milwaukee Turners, the oldest civic group in the city, calls the resolution “a significant official declaration of what the people of Milwaukee have been saying all along: there are no acceptable guardrails that can be installed that would protect our identities and privacy in a satisfactory way.”

The U.S. plans to continue and scale its would-be immigration crackdown, which increases the potential for the misuse of facial recognition technology. However, there appears to be continued misunderstanding regarding the nature of Biometrica’s system in its Milwaukee proposal.

There is no such misunderstanding about Clearview AI, the company specializing in facial recognition technology for law enforcement, and in defending lawsuits against said technology. Despite a settlement in which it lost 23 percent of its value to claimants in a biometric data privacy lawsuit and ongoing challenges of the legality of its business, Clearview has just signed a fresh $37,000 contract with police in Oklahoma City.

Sgt. Gary Knight of the Oklahoma City Police Department explains that the technology can’t be used as probable cause for an arrest. “It is simply a lead in a case or a tip,” Knight says. “Sometimes we will have a deceased person, and we simply don’t know who they are. Nobody’s reported them missing, fingerprints haven’t helped, and we’ve got nothing. In this case, that technology can help us.” Detectives must obtain approval from two different supervisors before a picture can be processed through the facial recognition software. “An investigator cannot just look at the image that comes back to them with a name and say, ‘We’re going to go arrest this guy.’ That’s not the case. It’s not probable cause for an arrest in and of itself. It must be combined with other things that you would have with any other criminal investigation.” The department is currently writing its FRT policy and plans to undergo “extensive training before utilizing this new tool.” 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the main concern with facial recognition technology in Milwaukee?

A: The main concern in Milwaukee is the potential for disproportionate impacts and inaccuracies, especially when applied to individuals in protected classes, as highlighted by the Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission.

Q: How does Biometrica's facial recognition system differ from others?

A: Biometrica's system does not use standard CCTV cameras and does not store records or images of anyone who has not been previously confirmed as a felony convict, a wanted suspect, or a missing person. It claims to use a deidentification process designed to be compliant with GDPR.

Q: Why is Clearview AI facing legal challenges?

A: Clearview AI is facing legal challenges due to its collection of biometrics from social media and other public sources, which has led to multiple lawsuits over biometric data privacy.

Q: How will the Oklahoma City Police Department use Clearview AI's facial recognition technology?

A: The Oklahoma City Police Department will use Clearview AI's technology as a lead in investigations or to identify unknown individuals, but it cannot be used as probable cause for an arrest. Detectives must obtain approval from two different supervisors before processing a picture through the software.

Q: What is the stance of the Milwaukee Turners on facial recognition technology?

A: The Milwaukee Turners, the oldest civic group in the city, opposes the implementation of facial recognition technology, stating that there are no acceptable guardrails that can protect identities and privacy in a satisfactory way. 

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