Overview

• New Orleans police secretly used over 200 privately operated facial recognition cameras to identify suspects in real time, bypassing a 2022 ordinance requiring human verification and transparency.
• The program, run through Project NOLA's camera network, led to dozens of unreported arrests, including for nonviolent crimes, without city council oversight or public disclosure.
• Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick suspended the program and ordered a review to ensure compliance with legal and policy standards after an internal audit and public backlash.
• The ACLU and local advocates are demanding a full investigation and a moratorium on the technology until robust privacy safeguards and accountability measures are established.
• The controversy highlights broader national concerns over the misuse of facial recognition technology, which has previously led to wrongful arrests and disproportionately impacted marginalized communities.