Detroit alters facial recognition tech policy after lawsuit filed by pregnant woman

The Detroit Police Department will be strengthening its photo lineup and facial recognition technology policies after "shoddy" police work led to a February wrongful arrest of a woman who was eight months pregnant, Police Chief James White announced Wednesday.

The policy changes were announced Wednesday after a wrongful arrest and imprisonment lawsuit was filed in federal court last week by Porcha Woodruff, who was accused in a January carjacking and robbery she did not commit.

The lawsuit — filed against the city and the detective who put her behind bars for 11 hours — argues that a false facial recognition match wrongfully identified her as the suspect despite the fact that the real suspect was never described as visibly pregnant.

The lead detective, LaShauntia Oliver, knew this, the lawsuit claims, but didn't investigate further. Charges against Woodruff were dropped a month later.

More: Lawsuit filed after facial recognition tech causes wrongful arrest of pregnant woman

White said Wednesday that no facial recognition policies had been violated — "The technology yielded an investigative lead, which is exactly what it’s supposed to do," White said.

The problem, however, was that Oliver did violate the department's photo lineup policy after she used a facial recognition photo in the lineup presented to the carjacking victim.

Facial recognition photos pick up faces that closely resemble the suspect detectives are looking to identify.

"That is, literally, perhaps one of the most counterintuitive things you could do. Because it's going to already produce look-a-likes," White said. "In other words, you're not going to put a suspect's twin in a line up."

Oliver was supposed to exhaust all investigative leads after receiving 73 potential suspects using facial recognition technology, but didn't, White said.

White denied reports that her arrest was due to an incorrect facial recognition match. It was the violation of the department's photo lineup policy "very, very poor" police work that did, he said.

Oliver "did shoddy investigative work," White said. "We want to ensure that nothing like this happens again."

The policy changes announced by White include:

• Officers are prohibited from using facial recognition photos in lineups.

• DPD will use a sequential double-blind photo lineup, meaning each photo will be placed in an envelope and delivered to witnesses individually.

• Officers involved in an investigation where a photo lineup is used cannot present the photo lineup.

• Two captains must review warrant requests for arrests when facial technology is used in an investigation.

The new policies will be reviewed by the Detroit Police Board of Commissioners. White said an internal investigation has been launched.

Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. She can be contacted at 313-264-0442, asahouri@freepress.com or on Twitter @andreamsahouri.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit alters facial recognition tech policy after wrongful arrest