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New Orleans Council votes to allow facial recognition software by police

Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the NOPD leadership had been seeking the additional “tools in the toolbox” to help with identifying and tracking violent crime suspects.

NEW ORLEANS — After three hours of debate on Thursday, the New Orleans City Council reversed a ban on a controversial tool to fight crime.
The ordinance that passed in a 4-2 vote allows police to use facial recognition to assist in the investigation of certain crimes.

The morning began with Councilmember Lesli Harris pressing NOPD on the previous ordinance that was banned in 2020.

She asked if there was any data to prove it made a difference prior to the ban.

"We keep hearing NOPD needs this. This is the tool. This is the silver bullet that's going to stop crime. This facial recognition," Harris said, "But you have no data sitting here today telling me that this actually works."

Just as Council Vice President JP Morrell said he wished NOPD's Superintendent Shaun Ferguson was there for questions, Ferguson walked up ready to respond.

"We want to be transparent in everything it is that we are doing with this," Ferguson said, "We have nothing to hide."

Ferguson said there wasn't much data to shows how and when this technology was used prior to it being banned in 2020.

Public comment got explosive. At one point, NOPD asked a man to leave the council chambers.

"We have seen that with the proper safeguards, technology can be used efficiently and effectively and without the violation of constitutional rights," one woman said in favor of the ordinance.

"Facial recognition and other surveillance technologies have been shown to be racist and sexist," another woman said during public comment.

Many people were worried about the technology increasing racial bias and invading privacy.

To that point, Councilmember Freddie King III responded in support of the ordinance which he co-authored.

"So, to say that this is racist, I kind of feel like you're implying that I am racist towards Black people," King said, "Which is a foolishly thing to imply."

An amendment to protect the surveillance from being used against those seeking abortions and same sex couples failed to pass.

The amendment also required NOPD to provide data on the effectiveness of the technology.

"That amendment for those guardrails failed and I'm quite frankly disappointed," Harris said.

Harris and Morrell said they couldn't vote in favor of the ordinance without that amendment in place.

Meanwhile, Councilmember Green said amendments can be added later.

Council President Helena Moreno was not present to vote due to illness. She tweeted this week that she was experiencing COVID symptoms.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell sent out a statement shortly after the ordinance passing.

“The return of NOPD’s use of facial recognition technology represents a tremendous stride towards greater public safety. I am grateful that the women and men of the NOPD now have this valuable, force multiplying tool that will help take dangerous criminals off our streets," said Mayor Cantrell.

"Passage of this ordinance by the City Council now paves the way to increase the NOPD’s ability to protect and serve the residents, businesses, and visitors to the City of New Orleans. This is a win for everybody," Cantrell said.

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