Facial Recognition Technology
How it works
York Regional Police uses facial recognition technology to support criminal investigations. The technology helps police identify individuals by comparing images collected lawfully during an investigation with those in the criminal booking image (mugshot) database.
Facial recognition technology is only used in the course of investigations, after an incident has occurred. It is not used for real-time surveillance.
The process
Facial recognition software analyzes unique facial features from an image and compares them against a database of known images most commonly known as mugshots.
Images are collected during an investigation
Police commonly obtain images during the course of an investigation. These might include images from closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, cellphone video, doorbell cameras, etc.
Images are entered into facial recognition software
Investigators receive specialized training to understand and use facial recognition technology.
The system generates potential matches
Images are compared and matches are generated from images within the criminal booking image database.
Police review results
Potential matches generated by facial recognition technology are considered investigative leads only, not evidence on their own.
Protecting your privacy
York Regional Police is committed to protecting your personal privacy and rights.
Police do not collect images in real-time or randomly search images for analysis by facial recognition technology. Use of the technology is limited to authorized personnel, who receive specialized training and are governed by clear procedures and oversight.
All results produced by facial recognition technology serve as investigative leads only. Comparisons made using the system will not stand alone in the judicial process and cannot be used alone to identify, charge or convict a suspect.
Frequently asked questions
Commonly asked questions about the use of facial recognition technology in policing.
Why implement this technology now?
In the past five years, facial recognition technology has made tremendous progress, and is now more accurate across demographics than ever, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). York Regional Police waited until the technology achieved this level of reliability before implementing it at our police service.
It is important that police remain vigilant and keep current with the latest technologies and innovations in order to prevent crime and keep our communities safe. Our licensing agreement with IDEMIA ensures police have access to the most up-to-date, highest-performing technology available.
Who is providing facial recognition technology?
At York Regional Police, facial recognition technology is provided by IDEMIA, a leading global provider of biometric solutions. IDEMIA technology is designed with privacy and security at its core, and is in use by several law enforcement agencies in Canada and worldwide.
According to tests completed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), IDEMIA’s facial recognition technology ranks first in accuracy. Its false match rate between different demographic groups hardly differs, and the algorithm identifies all subjects equally well, regardless of demographic. When combined with review by trained law enforcement officers, research indicates that facial recognition technology achieves near perfect accuracy. All data associated with this system is safeguarded in Canadian data centres only.
For more information visit the IDEMIA website.
Does use of facial recognition technology breach my privacy?
Use of facial recognition technology at York Regional Police complies with all obligations under Canadian privacy law. Governance of its use carefully considers the Guidelines for Facial Recognition and Mugshot Databases provided by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
Police services have a legislative duty to investigate criminal activities, while safeguarding the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Where do images come from?
Images used in facial recognition searches are obtained lawfully, such as:
- CCTV or security footage
- Images provided by victims or witnesses
- Other investigative sources permitted by law
I believe York Regional Police has my image. How do I request it be destroyed?
Individuals whose criminal booking image (mugshot) and fingerprints have been gathered by York Regional Police pursuant to the Identification of Criminals Act, may be eligible to have their image and fingerprints destroyed, provided certain criteria are met.
Why partner with other police services in Peel and Halton Regions?
Criminals don’t limit their activity to a single jurisdiction.
A strong partnership between police services will help improve public safety, is cost effective and it allows for better collaboration. It will allow investigators to access a larger image database. This technology represents a natural step forward for police investigations and will serve as another tool in our efforts to keep our collective communities safe.