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Council approves police MOU to use DHSMV photo packs; members press for audit steps
Summary
Council renewed a memorandum allowing the police department to use Florida driver's‑license photos to generate six‑photo lineups for investigations. The police chief described quarterly audits and documentation; councilors questioned access controls and notification practices before approving the renewal.
The Port Richey City Council voted to renew a memorandum of understanding with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) that permits police to obtain driver‑license photos for assembled photo packs used in witness identifications. Police described the system as a tool to produce six‑photo lineups that reduce bias compared with jail mugshot books and said the database improves prosecutorial evidence in certain cases.
"Basically, by signing this, it it authorizes us to use people's driver's licenses for photo pack identification," the police chief said, describing how a suspect photo and five similar images are compiled for witnesses. Councilors pressed the chief on oversight: which officers may run searches, whether subjects are notified, and how audits are conducted. The chief said only sworn officers may run searches, quarterly audits flag unusual usage, and the use is documented in reports used by prosecutors. After that explanation and public discussion, council approved the MOU renewal by motion and voice vote.
