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AI-Assisted Facial Recognition for Criminal Investigations

Accountable
New York Police Department (NYPD)
Functional Modes
Deciding (Analytical AI)
Human decides
Purpose
Safety & Security
Input Dataset
Biometric Identifiable data
Algorithm or Model
Biometric Recognition
Output Dataset
A recommendation or prediction Identifiable data

The New York Police Department uses facial recognition software to compare images of unknown individuals obtained during investigations against a repository of lawfully held arrest and parole photos. The system generates a ranked list of possible matches for review by trained investigators — it does not make final identifications on its own. Members of the public whose photos appear in NYPD arrest or parole records may have their images searched without their direct knowledge.

Sources for this disclosure

This disclosure was drafted with AI assistance.

Schema: ai@2026-05-06-beta