Police Body Cameras Should Be Tools For Accountability, Not Abuse
The people of California were told that body cameras would guard against police misconduct and increase community trust in law enforcement. Over 60% of California voters believe that the body cameras should be used for the sole purpose of recording how police treat people and as a tool for public oversight and accountability.
So why are California police now exploring implanting body cameras with face recognition technology?
We’re co-sponsoring AB 1215: The Body Camera Accountability Act, to keep face recognition technology off police body cameras.The bill is a straightforward public safety protection that prevents the use of face recognition and other biometric surveillance systems on police body cameras and the data they collect
Officer-worn body cameras should work for the people, not against the people
Experts have found facial recognition is inaccurate and biased against people of color. Just a few months ago, Microsoft expressed concerns that a California law enforcement agency had asked to use the company’s face recognition technology on their body worn cameras.
The California State Senate will be voting on this bill soon. It’s critical that they hear from you, the voters they serve.
Ask the California Senate to support AB 1215 today.
Facial recognition and other biometric surveillance in public spaces won’t make us safer. But it will make us less free.