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Aurora Approves Police Use of AI Facial Recognition for Investigative Leads

Implementation begins in 30 days under a policy limiting use to lead generation in active cases.

Overview

  • City council passed the measure on a 5-2 vote, authorizing software to produce investigative tips rather than make arrests or support immigration enforcement.
  • Police say searches will be restricted to active investigations, and photos of unknown individuals will not be retained for future queries.
  • The department estimates about $16,000 in first-year costs, rising to roughly $67,000 by year four, funded within its existing budget.
  • Civil-rights groups and community advocates warn of higher misidentification rates for women and people of color and cite Aurora’s policing record under a consent decree.
  • Reporting identifies Clearview AI as the vendor and notes its recent $51.75 million Illinois privacy settlement, prompting calls for stricter oversight.