San Diego port and police considering public facial recognition network

The Port of San Diego was considering to deploy facial biometrics and other AI services to a network of 400 video cameras before a ransomware attack disrupted its operations and put the decision on hold, according to public records reviews by the San Diego Reader.

Emails released to MuckRock.com in response to a public records request show that the hack set back the process, but it has continued, with Canon Inc. subsidiary BriefCam proposing an overlapping or shared system between the port and the San Diego Police Department.

“I am currently working with SDPD to deploy Briefcam at their new Real Time Crime Center for the entire city, which would greatly help you as some of the camera coverage would benefit each other,” wrote BriefCam Western Region Sales Director Erik Wade in a November 16 email to port security official Matthew Brown. “I know you were looking at several other options but I’d very much like to see what we can do to deploy a [Proof of Value demonstration] so you can see it in action and give you the chance to ‘kick the tires.”

The email also linked to BriefCam’s November announcement of the new real-time facial recognition capability of its extensible video content analytics platform. The Reader was not able to confirm the development of a Real Time Crime Center by San Diego Police, but reports that the city has deployed more than 4,000 cameras, sensors, and microphones to streetlights as part of a Smart City initiative by mayor Kevin Faulconer. The city’s Intelligent Streetlight Data Policy was published on February 9, and says the manner and duration of video data retention is up to the Chief of Police.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  police  |  port security  |  real-time biometrics  |  surveillance cameras