Porcha Woodruff, an eight-month pregnant woman, experienced a traumatic incident last February when she found herself confronted by six Detroit police officers at her door. It was a shocking moment for her and her children, aged 6 and 12, who burst into tears upon realizing that she was being arrested. Woodruff initially believed it to be a prank, only to discover that the police had charged her with robbery and carjacking based on an eight-year-old photo of her. This photo had been mistakenly matched with video footage of a suspect using facial recognition software.
Woodruff has now filed a lawsuit against the city of Detroit and a detective, alleging false arrest, false imprisonment, and a violation of her Fourth Amendment rights. She is not alone in seeking justice, as at least two others have also filed lawsuits against the Detroit police for wrongful arrests resulting from erroneous matches on facial recognition software. The incidents sparked reforms in the department’s guidelines, restricting the use of facial recognition software to only violent crimes and home invasion investigations.
In her lawsuit, Woodruff emphasizes the flaws and unreliability of facial recognition technology, especially when it comes to identifying black individuals like herself. She emphasizes that facial recognition alone should not be considered probable cause for arrests. Furthermore, the lawsuit exposes various shortcomings in the police investigation, such as the failure to use a more recent driver’s license photo of Woodruff and neglecting to inquire with another suspect if they recognized her.
Upon arriving at the Detroit Detention Center, Woodruff disclosed her gestational diabetes to the staff. However, Detective LaShauntia Oliver, who is specifically named in the lawsuit, went on to question her about her associations and tattoos, despite the victim not describing the suspect as pregnant. Woodruff’s ordeal continued when she was directed back to a holding cell, even though Detective Oliver allegedly knew she was not involved in the carjacking. The lawsuit further criticizes the police department for not conducting a proper investigation.
The Detroit Police Chief, James E. White, expressed concern over the allegations and affirmed the department’s commitment to investigate the matter thoroughly. Detective Oliver has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Facial recognition technology usage by law enforcement agencies lacks comprehensive data, but it is known that numerous agencies, around 3,100, have adopted this technology. While other countries have also embraced facial recognition, concerns have been raised by civil rights groups and privacy activists. In response to these concerns, U.S. House lawmakers introduced a bill in September to regulate and limit law enforcement’s use of the technology to protect civil liberties.
Although the charges against Woodruff were dropped in March, the ordeal has taken a significant toll on her mental and physical well-being. Anxiety, depression, and extreme stress have plagued her during an already challenging pregnancy. After being released from custody, she sought medical attention due to a low heart rate and dehydration, both affecting her and her unborn baby. The traumatic experience also led to a panic attack.
Woodruff strongly believes that no one should go through the pain of false accusations, emphasizing that appearances can be deceiving. She aims to shed light on the flaws and potential harm that can arise from facial recognition technology and bring about changes to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
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