Q&A
Improvements and usage of facial recognition technology in NYPD investigations
2:09:27
ยท
135 sec
Deputy Commissioner Gerber discusses the improvements in facial recognition technology and its role in NYPD investigations, emphasizing the importance of human involvement in the process.
- Facial recognition technology has improved significantly over the years
- The technology is a valuable tool but never used as the sole basis for arrests
- Human verification is always required in conjunction with facial recognition matches
- Strict rules are in place for photo arrays and lineups
Robert Holden
2:09:27
And just one question on facial recognition technology.
2:09:31
That's improved over the years tremendously.
2:09:33
Right?
2:09:33
Since because I know we keep hearing the same old stories, maybe, that are ten years old already at this point.
2:09:40
Can you tell me how it has improved and what percentage or I don't know if you know this, but what percentage of crimes are solved maybe because of that little photo recognition of somebody, you know, like let's say on the subway, we have now we have cameras on the subway.
2:09:57
So so it's and I I want to
Michael Gerber
2:09:59
come back to what some folks here said before, I think it's important.
2:10:02
So first, yeah, I do think technology has gotten a lot better.
2:10:06
And again, Chair Salaam mentioned this, you know, in the early days of facial rec, certain study or studies about racial disparities, obviously a very serious matter.
2:10:18
I do think technology has gotten much better.
2:10:20
But again, it's never by definition, it's never that photo match alone.
2:10:29
Because that's the whole point.
2:10:31
It's only a
Robert Holden
2:10:31
No, that's an important point.
Michael Gerber
2:10:33
Really important because on the one hand, it's an incredibly valuable tool.
2:10:38
Right?
2:10:40
And I don't know for now, but we have come up with lots of examples of cases where that match made a difference in terms of being able to ultimately get to probable cause and make the arrest.
2:10:52
At the same time, I don't want to say that that was the sole reason, because by definition, as Chief Savino said, there always has to be that human
Robert Holden
2:11:01
element in
Michael Gerber
2:11:00
But
Robert Holden
2:11:01
it's one, essentially,
Michael Gerber
2:11:02
it's one tool.
2:11:03
Right.
2:11:03
A tool, a valuable tool, but only a tool.
Robert Holden
2:11:06
Nobody says and nobody implied that it's just the photo is it and that's the guy.
2:11:13
No, you have to have
Michael Gerber
2:11:14
the human element,
Robert Holden
2:11:16
because I've been through that.
2:11:17
I've seen it and I've even tried to pick out somebody in a lineup.
2:11:22
It was computer generated.
2:11:24
And I couldn't because the people, you know, the guy in the six or the five photos looked like the same person.
Michael Gerber
2:11:32
We have very strict rules about photo arrays.
2:11:34
So there has to
Robert Holden
2:11:34
be the human element.
2:11:35
Yes.
2:11:35
Thank you.
Yusef Salaam
2:11:40
You.
2:11:40
We're gonna go back to chair Brewer.