Facial recognition tender for Toronto police draws interest from major vendors

Eleven biometrics providers, including large international firms, are vying to provide Toronto police with a new facial recognition system, which is stirring controversy among civil rights groups.

A report from Ricochet Media says 11 vendors expressed an interest in the facial recognition contract: TCG Digital, Cumberland Strategies, Facia AI Ltd., GenVis, Idemia, IMDS, NEC Corporation of America, ROC, Securaglobe Solutions, Shufti Pro and Tech5 USA.

The new contract covers a term of five years, and comes with a stated objective of acquiring a facial recognition system that offers minimal disruption in integrating with TPS’ current internal mugshot database, and improves accuracy to prevent false positives and obstruction evaluation capabilities for images with partial facial views. Specifically, TPS wants systems capable of “intaking and processing between 8,000 to 10,000 images yearly.” Vendors must be able to implement the system within a year of winning the contract.

Toronto Police Services (TPS) already uses facial recognition technology from NEC called Neoface Reveal, but it says its searches are not automated. Idemia is also a current biometrics partner for TPS, providing its Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). The French firm also provides facial biometrics for neighboring Peel and York Regional Police forces, and police in nearby Halton region. ROC is known for supplying FRT to a number of law enforcement agencies in the U.S.

The use of facial recognition by police in Toronto has caused the typical response from privacy advocates worried about police overreach, bias and potential misuse. Ricochet leans into these objections, supported by reference to the 2018 Gender Shades study.

Biometric testing by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has found that the majority of facial recognition algorithms are more likely to misidentify people with darker skin, women and the elderly, though the most accurate algorithms show very low differentials in the Institute’s latest testing.

Toronto police say the contract amounts to a software upgrade. The RFP says that “significant advancements in the FR solution industry have occurred since the program’s inception. The TPS now seeks to leverage these developments to enhance FR processes, to improve accuracy and the ability to evaluate images.” But the department promises it will be used “in the same way as the current system, with no changes to processes or scope.”

The scenario presents something of a Catch-22: police acquire facial recognition, which objectors say is not yet sufficiently mature. Police seek better facial recognition technology, and objectors raise concerns about mass surveillance.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  Canada  |  criminal ID  |  facial recognition  |  police  |  tender  |  Toronto police