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(WWJ) The Detroit City Council has given the green light to a $200,000 contract to support the police department's controversial use of facial recognition software.
The vote came following a marathon virtual meeting on Tuesday, which included Detroit police defending the program.
WWJ's City Beat Reporter Vickie Thomas said 32 people spoke during public comment on the issue, with an overwhelming majority speaking against it.
The Detroit Police Department first started using the facial recognition software in 2017 after council approved a $1 million purchase of the technology, leading to months of protest and controversy.
Opponents wanted the council to vote no on Tuesday, and use this as an opportunity to get rid of the tech.
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a new and different result," said one resident named Cunningham, who was fired up about the issue. "Door to door, picket in front of the council people's houses, these people need to go!"
Council President Brenda Jones was one of three members who objected to the contract, along with Pro Tem Mary Sheffield and council member Raquel Castaneda-Lopez.
"Although I have a lot of support for a lot of things that are done, and definitely supporting (the police department)," Jones said, "I cannot support with my head and feel good with my heart the equipment that we have and that we are using."
The contract is with DataWorks Plus, a South Carolina company that provides facial recognition technology to Detroit and the Michigan State Police, for maintenance of the software.
Councilman James Tate pointed out that Police Chief James Craig admitted the technology on its own misidentifies people 96% of the time, but Tate voted yes anyway.
Councilman Scott Benson also voted in support.
"This is actually the warranty, so we are purchasing a warranty to make sure that we can maintain and support the software; if something does go wrong that someone will come out and repair it," Benson explained.
"I was initially very skeptical," he added, "and I've been very publicly skeptical of the government's ability, especially Detroit's ability, DPD, to surveil our residents. But once I learned more and actually walked through how this software works, I became far more comfortable."
Back in June, a Black man who was arrested when facial recognition tech mistakenly identified him as a suspected shoplifter filed a complaint backed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
At that time, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy apologized, noting she has long expressed reservations to Detroit police about face-recognition technology because of its unreliability, "especially as it relates to people of color.”