Driver’s license facial recognition tech leads to 4,000 New York arrests

The state of New York says its driver’s license facial recognition technology has led to the arrest of 4,000 people in connection to identify theft or fraud crimes. This number is likely to skyrocket in the wake of the state doubling the number of measurement points for photographs.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that, overall, New York has identified more than 21,000 potential identity or fraud cases. As many as 16,000 people face some type of non-criminal administrative action in connection to the state’s facial-recognition program, which was adopted in 2010. Those cases are being handled outside of the judicial system administratively because the criminal statute of limitations has expired and will usually result in the state revoking licenses and transferring tickets and convictions to the identity thief’s true rap sheet.

“The use of this facial recognition technology has allowed law enforcement to crack down on fraud, identity theft, and other offenses—taking criminals and dangerous drivers off our streets and increasing the safety of New York’s roadways,” Cuomo said in a statement. “We will continue to do everything we can to hold fraudsters accountable and protect the safety and security of all New Yorkers.”

P/C PIXABAY