Why a policy nonprofit has concerns about a new AI tool for OKC Police

Oklahoma City police will have a new tool to help with investigations. This month, the city approved more than $37,000 for the Oklahoma City Police Department to use facial recognition technology, through vendor Clearview AI, to help with investigations. 

OCPD officials said this tool will speed up investigations. However, Clearview AI has been in the headlines before for violating people’s privacy.  

OKC approves agreement between OCPD and Clearview AI 

On July 15, Oklahoma City Council member JoBeth Hamon raised concerns about the agreement. The measure passed 7-2 with little discussion after Hamon said she would vote against it. 

“I would really prefer that we have a much more comprehensive vetting system,” Hamon said. “The fact that a lot of these companies have regulatory issues in other places. We don’t really have, from what I understand, a clear policy around how we’re utilizing AI.” 

Facial comparison software helps police identify leads in cases 

OCPD Master Sgt. Gary Knight said the software won’t be used to incriminate anyone. Knight said it will help detectives answer questions more efficiently. 

“It really has had very good results with other agencies, primarily the FBI,” Knight said. “It is not probable cause to make an arrest. It is simply a lead in a case.” 

Clearview AI’s database includes a wider range of search options 

Clearview AI scrapes photos from the internet and compiles them into a database that law enforcement agencies use to identify people. Katie Kinsey is a law professor at NYU and chief of staff and tech policy counsel at the Policing Project. Kinsey advocates for democratic accountability in the acquisition and use of AI-powered policing technologies. 

“These powerful tools are being used without any proof of how well they work,” Kinsey said. “We think that should concern all of us.” 

Concerns over privacy and transparency with Clearview AI data 

Kinsey said facial recognition vendors provide little transparency. 

“These are tools that are being used to incriminate people, to arrest people, to convict people, and the public doesn’t even have any idea that their agency has them, or how well they work if they work at all. None of that information is made public,” Kinsey said.

In 2022, the company settled a class action lawsuit in Illinois over privacy issues. Last year, a Dutch data protection watchdog fined Clearview AI $33.7 million for an illegal database. 

“Our city attorneys are gonna take a look at that,” Knight said. 

Lack of official regulations and oversight with facial comparison software 

OCPD has yet to finalize an official policy on the books for this software. 

“We’re still writing policies on it and figuring out exactly how that’s going to work,” Knight said. 

Kinsey said policies should be in place before government bodies grant approval. 

“We always encourage and advocate that agencies publicly available policies for how they’re going to use these tools before they use them,” Kinsey said. 

Knight said they have done their homework vetting this vendor. He said they are confident in the agreement moving forward. 

“We’re doing everything we can to protect the public and protect people’s privacy,” Knight said. 

However, policy experts, like Kinsey, will watch these agreements with a real measure of concern. 

“With Clearview, all of our faces are in there,” Kinsey said. “We’re all subject to a potential false id.” 

Regulatory efforts for policing technology gain momentum in other states 

Kinsey said about a dozen states have laws regulating this software. Montana requires a warrant to search with this tool. Oklahoma currently has no regulations for this software. 

What’s next for OKC? 

Knight said this software will be useful for identifying victims of crimes and missing and exploited children. He said they hope to roll it out within a year.