Jackson council repeals 2020 ban on police use of facial-recognition technology

The Jackson City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 11 to repeal an August 8, 2020 order that prohibited the Jackson Police Department from using facial-recognition technology.

The move, approved during a City Council meeting in Council Chambers, followed a briefing from Police Chief Joseph Wade, who described the technology as an investigative tool used by state and federal agencies and said it would be deployed only as part of corroborated investigations.

"This is a tool that's being utilized across the country to solve cases from New York to Los Angeles," Chief Joseph Wade said, adding that facial recognition "alone is not going to be adequate enough to make an arrest" and that results must be corroborated with other evidence. He said the department is preparing policies and training and that specialized personnel in an intelligence unit would operate the system.

Mayor said the administration shares community concerns about accuracy and civil liberties and described steps to create oversight. "What the chief has committed to... he's committed to a policy that informs the way that JPD uses this technology," the mayor said, noting the administration's willingness to consult outside groups during policy formation.

Council members pressed for clarity on staffing and oversight. Chief Wade said the city would work with legal staff to draft a use policy and that the technology would be operated by trained analysts rather than routine patrol officers.

The council approved an order repealing the 2020 restriction on the department's use of facial-recognition technology. The chief and the mayor both said the tool would be used only with supporting evidence and under written policy.

The vote concluded without recorded dissents.

Less critical details: council members said the administration would seek community input and consult legal and civil-rights organizations in drafting rules governing use.