The ACLU published a detailed account on 30 April 2026 of the New Orleans Police Department’s secret use of Project NOLA live facial recognition for two years, in violation of a city ordinance permitting only limited, safeguarded FRT use in investigations. The system played a role in dozens of arrests without disclosure to defendants or their attorneys. Internal emails show the police chief visited the Project NOLA operator’s office in November 2025 and indicated the system would be switched back on. The NOPD’s response to officer complaints — that querying Project NOLA did not constitute a ‘use’ of facial recognition — represents a direct attempt to circumvent the ordinance through definitional manipulation. One ACLU client spent six months in prison after incorrect FRT identification. The case illustrates how local FRT ordinances can be systematically circumvented through informal arrangements with private operators, with no technical or procedural barrier to prevent it.
Partnered with
European Network of Law Enforcement Technology Services
Saturday, May 2, 2026