- (1) The department of justice and local law enforcement agencies are authorized to use facial recognition technology for criminal investigations.
(2) The department of justice or a local law enforcement agency may perform a search using facial recognition technology and may obtain, retain, possess, access, or use the results of a search using facial recognition technology, as provided in subsection (3), for the purpose of:
- (a) investigating a serious crime when there is probable cause to believe that an unidentified individual in an image has committed, is a victim of, or is a witness to a serious crime;
- (b) assisting in the location or identification of a missing or endangered person; or
- (c) assisting in the identification of a person who is deceased or believed to be deceased.
- (3) Except as provided in subsection (5), a law enforcement agency shall obtain a warrant prior to performing a search using facial recognition technology under subsection (2).
- (4) A law enforcement agency shall obtain a court order authorizing the use of facial recognition technology for the sole purpose of locating or identifying a missing person or identifying a deceased person under subsections (2)(b) and (2)(c). A court may issue an ex parte order under this subsection if a law enforcement agency certifies and the court finds that the information to be obtained is likely relevant to locating or identifying a missing person or identifying a deceased person.
(5)
- (a) A law enforcement agency may perform a search under subsection (2) using facial recognition technology prior to the issuance of a warrant if there is an emergency posing an imminent threat to a person. If an emergency exists under this subsection (5)(a), the law enforcement agency shall obtain a warrant within 24 hours of the search.
- (b) The use of facial recognition technology must terminate immediately if the application for a warrant under subsection (5)(a) is denied.
- (6) A law enforcement agency may not use the results of facial recognition technology as the sole basis to establish probable cause in a criminal investigation. The results of the use of facial recognition technology may be used in conjunction with other information and evidence lawfully obtained by a law enforcement officer to establish probable cause in a criminal investigation.
- (7) A law enforcement agency may not use facial recognition technology to identify an individual based on a sketch or other manually produced image.
- (8) A law enforcement agency may not substantively manipulate an image for use with facial recognition technology in a manner not consistent with the facial recognition technology provider's intended use and training.
- (9) When using facial recognition for identification of an individual, the department or local law enforcement shall employ meaningful human review prior to making an adverse final decision.
History: En. Sec. 6, Ch. 781, L. 2023.