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Southaven board approves sole-source purchase of Clearview AI facial-recognition software
Summary
The Southaven Board of Aldermen approved a sole‑source purchase of facial‑recognition software from Clearview AI for police use after a staff presentation; the purchase was described as ancillary to services and was adopted by roll call without extended public discussion.
The Southaven Board of Aldermen voted to authorize a sole‑source purchase of facial‑recognition software from Clearview AI for use by the police department.
City attorney Nick Manley summarized the item for the board, saying, “This resolution will authorize the sole source purchase from of software from Clearview AI,” and described the company as holding patents for methods that provide identifying information from images. Manley told the board the software is being purchased as ancillary to a service that the department is obtaining.
The purchase was moved and seconded and approved by roll call. The board candidateed authorization for signatures and noted the purchase was supported by documentation including a sole‑source letter provided by the vendor. The transcript records no public comment opposing the purchase during the meeting.
Why it matters: facial‑recognition technology raises privacy and civil‑liberties concerns in many U.S. jurisdictions. Southaven’s policy and procedural limits for the tool were not presented in detail during the session; the record shows only the attorney’s description of patents and operational purpose. The board approved the resolution and the motion carried.
The action authorizes the police chief to sign the purchase documents and implement the ancillary software as described by legal staff. The board moved on to the next agenda item after the roll call vote.
