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Lebanon Board approves new police facial-recognition policy and terminology updates
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Summary
The Lebanon Board of Works approved three Lebanon Police Department policy updates, including a new facial-recognition-technology use policy, a rename of a use-of-force technique to 'vascular neck restraint,' and a terminology change renaming involuntary detentions to 'emergency detentions' to align with state statute.
The Lebanon Board of Works on Nov. 24 approved three updates to Lebanon Police Department policy, including a new facial-recognition-technology use policy and several one-word terminology changes.
Major Hood, speaking for the department, described the facial-recognition policy as "brand new content" that "attempts to establish nationwide best practices for law enforcement on how we use facial recognition technology." He told the board the policy would set out responsibilities for the chief, designate a facial-recognition technology coordinator, and describe who may search and document searches while emphasizing privacy considerations.
On use-of-force language, Hood said the manual's prior reference to a "carotid control hold" has been updated to "vascular neck restraint" to match current academy terminology. He said the change alters only the term, not department practice. On involuntary detentions, he said the department is updating phrasing from "involuntary" or "immediate detentions" to "emergency detentions" to align with changes in state statute.
The board voted to approve the three policy changes and authorized staff to make the same single-word terminology updates in related departmental policies where that is the only change. No members asked to delay the items for further review.
Next steps: the department will implement the updated manual language and, per Major Hood, appoint a facial-recognition coordinator if and when the policy is activated.
