Following a contentious public hearing attended by more than 60 local residents, Milwaukee Police Department Chief Jeffrey Norman announced a ban on the force's use of facial recognition technology and halted efforts to gain permanent access to it. The decision came after commissioners from Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission questioned department leadership during a meeting regarding the technology. During questioning, commissioners learned that the police department had continued using the software while a draft policy to establish guardrails was still being developed outside the commission's control. The ban follows public outcry and concerns regarding privacy, high error rates for people of colour, potential law enforcement misuse, and the risk of surveillance technologies harming democracy.

Background: Facial Recognition in Policing

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