san diego police

Due To New Law, San Diego’s Law Enforcement Facial Recognition Program Will End in 2020

Thanks to a statewide policy banning law enforcement use of facial recognition for three years, several agencies in San Diego will lose access to a database of facial scans.

More than 30 agencies in San Diego County, Calif. will drop their use of a facial recognition platform on Jan. 1, 2020 after sustained outcry from civil liberties groups in the area.

The Tactical Identification System (TACIDS) was launched in 2012 and aimed to give local, state and federal agencies a common database of facial scans, according to ZDNet. Officers could use their phones or tablets to conduct searches and help them identify “uncooperative persons” and people of interest in their cases. People with outstanding warrants were also included in the system.

The demise of TACIDS stems from the passage of a law, AB 1215, in September that bans law enforcement agencies from using facial recognition software for three years. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which found that over 65,000 scans were performed by officers between 2016 and 2018, sent a letter to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) demanding that the agency comply with the new law.

Now, the SANDAG has published an agenda showing that the program will be suspended on Jan. 1 and that the agency’s agreement with software company FaceFirst will not be renewed after it expires in March.

“While the TACIDS program does not provide cameras or devices that function autonomously to collect ongoing surveillance information, AB 1215 also prohibits an automated or semiautomated process that analyzes biometric data in connection with data collected by an officer camera,” Pam Scanlon, the head of SANDAG’s Automated Regional Justice Information System (ARJIS), wrote in the agenda.

Scanlon added: “ARJIS will notify all law enforcement partners that TACIDS access will be suspended, which will include removal of the TACIDS Booking Photo interface and all user access to TACIDS systems.”

Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) refused to sign and comply with the latest guidance from the California Department of Justice on how government agencies can use shared databases in immigration case, according to Scanlon. That means that their access to the facial recognition system has also been removed.

The EFF declared victory in a blog post celebrating the end of the program and the foundation’s efforts to combat government use of facial recognition software in investigations.

“We just stopped one of the largest, longest running, and most controversial face recognition programs operated by local law enforcement in the United States,” Dave Maass, a senior investigative researcher for the EFF, wrote. “The end of San Diego’s program marks a major victory in the nationwide battle against face surveillance.”

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.