Ever since the Christchurch massacre, the Police have been operating in a doctrinaire and dictatorial fashion. We know that they used massive over-reach to grab as many guns as they could, and have treated their minister like he’s their lap dog.
Earlier they announced that, despite disarming a large number of firearms owners, they were going to tool up their constables and operate ‘Armed Response Teams‘ (on a trial, mind). We are yet to hear the results of that trial but don’t be surprised if the Police declare it to be a massive success and start rolling them out nationwide.
While they were doing that they also secretly trialled facial recognition software, without seeking permission and without running it by the Privacy Commissioner:
Police conducted a trial of controversial facial recognition software without consulting their own bosses or the Privacy Commissioner.
The American firm Clearview AI’s system, which is used by hundreds of police departments in the United States and several other countries, is effectively a search engine for faces – billing itself as a crime-fighting tool to identify perpetrators and victims.
New Zealand Police first contacted the firm in January, and later set up a trial of the software, according to documents RNZ obtained under the Official Information Act. However, the high tech crime unit handling the technology appears to have not sought the necessary clearance before using it.
Privacy Commissioner John Edwards, who was not aware police had trialled Clearview Al [sic] when RNZ contacted him, said he would expect to be briefed on it before a trial was underway. He said Police Commissioner Andrew Coster told him he was also unaware of the trial.
“He’s concerned it was able to happen without a high-level sign-off, and [the] involvement of my office,” Edwards said, following a phone conversation with Coster on Tuesday. “They will be looking at protocols, how they do evaluate new technologies.”
Police declined to be interviewed, and would not address the record of Coster’s remarks.
“Police undertook a short trial of Clearview AI earlier this year to assess whether it offered any value to police investigations,” said Detective Superintendent Tom Fitzgerald, who is the national manager of criminal investigations, in a statement.
“This was a very limited trial to assess investigative value. The trial has now ceased and the value to investigations has been assessed as very limited and the technology at this stage will not be used by New Zealand Police.”
Prior to the statement from Fitzgerald, police spokespeople told RNZ on two separate occasions in the past week – on 7 and 11 May – that the trial was still underway. A spokesperson later said these statements were incorrect.
I wouldn’t believe a word these guys say. At every turn, they act against the interests of citizens and can no longer be trusted.
If the new Commissioner Andy Coster doesn’t sack someone over this then we will know he approves of the continued poor behaviour from Police.
As for the Minister, well, he’s clearly not in control of his portfolio. Yet again, he’s letting his minions define how short his career will be.
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