The Legal Aid Society, New York’s largest public defender group, urged the city to investigate the NYPD’s use of facial recognition. The group argues the system has caused wrongful arrests and violated police policies.
This week, Legal Aid sent a letter to the Office of the Inspector General, a division of the Department of Investigation. The letter requested a review of cases where the NYPD allegedly ignored its own rules.
Wrongful Arrests Raise Alarm
For years, the NYPD has used facial recognition. However, critics say the system is inaccurate and biased. The Innocence Project, for instance, documented six cases where Black residents were misidentified and wrongly accused.
In addition, The New York Times revealed that police recently arrested an innocent man after relying on a faulty match.
Breaches of Policy
Legal Aid also accused officers of sourcing matches from outside databases, which broke department policy.
Diane Akerman, a Legal Aid staff attorney, warned of the dangers. She said the NYPD “cannot be trusted to use it in a way that does not harm” New Yorkers.
“Today, this issue goes beyond technical misuse,” Akerman continued. “Instead, people are facing wrongful arrests.”
Demand for Public Accountability
Therefore, Legal Aid asked Inspector General Jeanene Barrett to publish findings in the next annual audit. Although Akerman admitted uncertainty about when the office will respond, she stressed the issue “will not fall on deaf ears.”
NYPD Defends Its Use
Meanwhile, NYPD officials defended facial recognition. They described it as an “important tool” that supports investigations in New York and across the country. Moreover, they claimed it has helped solve “high-profile, violent cases.”
Officials emphasized that the technology never serves as the only basis for an arrest.
Finally, the Department of Investigation confirmed it received Legal Aid’s letter and is reviewing the request.
