Tug-of-War over Police Facial Recognition Finds a Raw Moment in Portland Banned in PDX

With police tactics under immense scrutiny in Portland, the moment could not be any more ripe - or raw - for a vote on legislation limiting the ability for law enforcement to employ facial recognition in the name of public safety. In this, the most in-depth episode of Banned in PDX yet, reporter Kate Kaye reveals how a Washington, D.C. think tank with deep connections to tech firms including facial recognition maker Amazon has pushed for police use of biometric tech in Portland and beyond, how a sheriff’s office right next door used Amazon’s facial recognition system for next-to-nothing, and how the technology has been used to identify protestors in Black Lives Matter demonstrations. This episode features voices from Georgetown Law’s Center on Privacy and Technology, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Portland Police Bureau, Portland City Council, National Police Foundation and Washington County Sheriff’s Office.