Facial recognition software on city of Detroit cameras up for vote

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit police hope that facial recognition software can help solve crime - and even prevent it. 

But, as the program comes up for a vote this from the Board of Police Commissioners, some Detroiters are not willing to sacrifice their privacy.
 
"There is no place that I can go in the city and there not be cameras," said Tyrone Allen, who lives in Palmer Park.
 
And there could be a whole lot more cameras coming to the city Tyrone Allen has lived for 72 years.
 
"(It's) very troubling, very troubling," Allen said.
 
Detroit police is proposing more cameras to use new facial recognition software to aid with investigations for major crime like rape and murder. 
 
But, at a community meeting hosted by critics of the plan - opposition is in the air.

"DPD could use facial recognition on people just walking down the street or possibly even on their front porch," said Tom Choske.
 
Choske, a community activist, says the facial recognition software infringes on Civil Rights. 
 
He's questioning the accuracy of the software and who will have access to all that stored information. 
 
"If we are willing to give up our ability to walk down the street free of pervasive oversight then do we really get much security for it and what is that price," Choske said. 
 
The Board of Police Commissioners is scheduled to vote on the proposal Thursday afternoon. 
 
"The vote is going to be called, the vote is going to be taken and it will be approved," said William Davis, Board of Police Commissioners.
 
Davis said he will cast his vote not in favor, he thinks it is not reliable enough, to invest in. 
 
He'd like to see more good old fashioned community policing. 
 
"The Greektown corridor is one of the most surveyed areas in the city of Detroit but yet it continues to have crime," Davis said. "Obviously cameras are not the answer. I think the answer is having more officers on the street."
 
Detroit police were not available for an interview tonight, but they have assured the public in recent interviews that public facial recognition would improve public safety - it's not to issue traffic tickets or store information on innocent people.