Detroit City Council Greenlights $200,000 Facial Recognition Contract

The Detroit City Council on Tuesday approved a contract supporting facial recognition in Detroit, even after a vast majority of public comments were in opposition to the measure.

The measure, approved by a 6-3 vote, approves spending $219,984 to cover costs associated with upgrades and maintenance. The council's vote was preceded by a morning protest and an hour of public comment from residents opposing facial recognition, arguing the technology is "racist."

The contract with Dataworks Plus LLC will be extended from Oct. 1, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2022.

Over 500 businesses currently are equippe...