Senators question DOJ funding for AI-powered policing tech

A Democratic senator said the U.S. Justice Department needs to look into whether the algorithm-powered police technologies it funds contribute to racial bias in law enforcement and lead to wrongful arrests.

Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, was responding to an investigation by The Associated Press published Thursday about the possibility of bias in courtroom evidence produced by an algorithm-powered technology called ShotSpotter. The system, which can be funded by Justice Department grants, is used by law enforcement in more than 110 U.S. communities to detect and respond to gunshots.

“While there continues to be a national debate on policing in America, it’s become increasingly clear that algorithms and technologies used during investigations, like ShotSpotter, can further racial biases and increase the potential for sending innocent people to prison,” Wyden said.

Chicago prosecutors used ShotSpotter evidence to jail Michael Williams, 65, for a year on a first-degree murder charge for allegedly shooting a man inside his car. ShotSpotter said their system can’t be relied on to detect gunshots inside cars. Last month, a judge dismissed the case against Williams at the request of prosecutors, who said they had insufficient evidence.

“Fundamentally, these tools are outsourcing critical policing decisions, leaving the fate of people like Michael Williams to a computer,” Wyden said.