Facial-recognition tech not in use by Sask. police
REGINA A facial-recognition program that was recently hacked — prompting privacy concerns from Ottawa — does not appear to be in use by any municipal police service in Saskatchewan, although Regina’s top cop says he isn’t opposed to the technology.
The technology, Clearview AI, is made by an American company that gathers huge numbers of images from various sources to identify people.
Recently, a flaw in the software led to the company’s client list getting out.
Police in Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Weyburn do not use the technology or any other facial-recognition software, their communications departments say. The Prince Albert and Estevan police had not replied before publication.
The use of the facial-recognition software was under review by the federal privacy commissioner, who is investigating its use by the RCMP.
On Friday, a report from the Toronto Star — bolstered with data obtained and shared by Buzzfeed — found that the technology had been used far more widely than initially thought, with several businesses and police services across Canada either using or inquiring about the software.
Regina police Chief Evan Bray said he first became aware of the software on Friday while reading the news.
“We have not acquired the software. We do not endorse the software. We do not use it,” said Bray.
But he said some members of the Regina Police Service appear to have reached out to Clearview AI. The inquiry was apparently to learn more about the technology offered by the company.
“We’re a big police service with 600 men and women that work here,” Bray said, adding that often members of Regina police will be on the lookout for new technology for the department.
Police recently acquired a FARO Focus X130 3D scanner to be used by officers while documenting a crime scene.
Bray said the process in acquiring that technology was similar to what was done by the officers inquiring about Clearview, saying it was a fact-finding process.
“Our officers are always looking for new tools and new pieces of technology and innovative ways that we can do investigations,” he said.
Bray doesn’t know anything about the company, adding the RPS would consider using the technology only after it underwent “rigorous privacy testing.”
If that decision is made, Bray said, a business plan would have to be proposed and would then appear as part of a budget proposal submitted to the City of Regina.