The Edmonton Police Service made an announcement on Tuesday that it will be the global pioneer in utilizing a facial-recognition technology embedded in body cameras, developed by Axon Enterprise. Acting Supt. Kurt Martin emphasized during a press conference that the AI product’s purpose is to complement, not replace, human investigative efforts. The software will flag resemblances for verification by trained officers skilled in facial recognition.
The implementation of this technology aims to enhance public and officer safety and uphold privacy standards within the police force’s operations. Axon Enterprise, a company based in Arizona, specializes in producing weapons and technology for the military, law enforcement, and civilians in permissible jurisdictions.
Beginning Wednesday, up to 50 Edmonton police officers currently equipped with body cameras will integrate Axon’s facial-recognition-enabled cameras into their shifts throughout the month. The decision to adopt this technology now aligns with the provincial government’s directive in 2023 to mandate body cameras for all Alberta police officers, with EPS initiating the rollout in 2024.
Acting independently from the provincial mandate, EPS’s partnership with Axon focuses on evaluating the feasibility and functionality of facial recognition technology on body-worn video cameras. The trial period will assess the system’s capacity to leverage mugshots for identifying individuals flagged for safety concerns and warrants related to serious crimes.
During field operations, the facial-recognition system on the cameras will remain inactive until activated by officers for specific investigations or enforcement actions. The technology operates in a “silent mode” while actively recording, without notifying officers of facial matches in real-time. Data captured within a four-meter range of the bodycam is promptly compared to the EPS database for matches, with non-matching data immediately discarded to protect privacy and ensure efficient warrant execution.
The implementation of facial recognition technology in body cameras represents a proactive step by Edmonton Police Service towards enhancing operational efficiency and law enforcement capabilities.