Oakland 1st to ban predictive policing, biometric surveillance tech
By Keith Burbank
(Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, Calif. - Civil liberties groups are lauding Oakland leaders for their decision to ban predictive policing and biometric surveillance technology, which they say do not work and are racially biased.
The bans became effective Tuesday and Oakland is the first city in the nation to put such bans in place, according to the San Francisco office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
City councilmembers voted unanimously to put the bans in place, according to city records.
Predictive policing involves using math and analytics to anticipate crime and help prevent it, according to the National Institute of Justice. Biometric surveillance is the use of a person's behavioral and physical characteristics to locate and possibly perpetually watch a person.