New technologies are giving law enforcement in Minnesota and across the country broad access to data on criminals and everyday citizens alike. Here are some examples you may have heard about — and why they are controversial.
Aerial drone
Purpose: Search and rescue, crime scene investigation
Agencies known to have it: Hennepin County sheriff, Dakota County sheriff
How it works: Camera-equipped unmanned aerial vehicles are very similar to those available to the public. Operating requires FAA approval.
Why it's controversial: In a climate of deep concern about the threat to privacy, the Hennepin and Dakota sheriffs both say the drones won't be used for surveillance.
Facial recognition software
Purpose: Enables law enforcement to identify suspects whose faces are recorded in video.
Agencies known to have it: Hennepin County sheriff
How it works: The software compares the unique geometry of faces with databases of identified images, such as mugshots, to find matches.