Previously, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) denied using facial recognition, saying that documents about its use of the technology don't exist. However, the Los Angeles Times new documents opposed the agency claim as it reveals that the department has used facial recognition 29,817 times since November 6, 2009, until Sept. 11.  

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The new documents also claimed that the police agency used the technology 3,750 times since February. Since LAPD doesn't have its own facial recognition system, 330 officers were using the Los Angeles County Regional Identification System or LACRIS, LA county's system platform that relies on DataWorks Plus' technology. 

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The new records explained that the LAPD's facial recognition use contradicts what it had announced publicly when the department was asked to turn over documents through public records requests. 

"FRT has been a vital tool that has been utilized to assist in developing criminal leads," said Josh Rubenstein, LAPD spokesperson, previously. 

"FRT does not identify suspects, and FRT results alone do not determine who the police arrest," he added.  

The new records showed LAPD arrested someone in June using facial recognition

LA Times' new records also revealed that the police department arrested one suspect in June, with the help of facial recognition software, contradicting Rubenstein's statement in 2019, saying that they didn't actually use the technology in their Department. 

The spokesperson added that there are a few limited instances that facial recognition was used. However, they were exempted since outside agencies used it during joint investigations. Rubenstein also explained that his statement refers to a specific bill concerning the use of facial recognition in body cameras. 

He pointed out that LAPD doesn't utilize FRT in conjunction with video surveillance cameras or body-worn video cameras for crowd scanning. However, the LA Times said that LAPD did not specify that distinction during the public announcement. 

The news outlet added that their request for information had not specified body-camera usage. 

For more news updates about LAPD's use of facial recognition, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.  

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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.