Black Mother Sues City of Detroit and Police Detective Over False Arrest Using Facial Recognition
A Black mother has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Detroit and a Detroit Police Department detective after being falsely arrested while eight months pregnant. Porcha Woodruff, 32, was at home with her children when six police officers arrived at her door with an arrest warrant for carjacking and robbery. Despite Woodruff’s protests about her pregnancy, she was handcuffed, taken to jail, and booked. The charges against her were later dismissed for insufficient evidence. Woodruff’s lawsuit highlights the troubling implications of facial recognition technology in her case.
According to the complaint, Woodruff was implicated in the alleged carjacking incident based on an unreliable facial recognition match. The police used a mugshot from a 2015 arrest instead of her current driver’s license photo from 2021. The lawsuit argues that facial recognition technology should not serve as probable cause for arrests due to its potential for errors and bias. It further alleges that the Detroit police engaged in a pattern of racial discrimination by misidentifying Black citizens at a higher rate than others.
Researchers have cautioned against the widespread use of facial recognition technology, citing its tendency towards errors and bias. A 2019 US government study found that many facial recognition algorithms were more likely to misidentify racial minorities, including Native American, Black, and Asian individuals. Several cities, including San Francisco and Somerville, have banned the use of facial recognition technology by city officials.
Woodruff’s attorney believes facial recognition technology can be a helpful tool when used correctly alongside other investigative measures. Woodruff’s lawsuit also alleges malicious prosecution by the detective who submitted the warrant, claiming that her actions appeared to be driven by malice. The Detroit police chief called the allegations “very concerning” and stated that the matter is being taken seriously.
This is not the first time the Detroit police department has been involved in the alleged misuse of facial recognition technology. In 2020, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint after a wrongful arrest involving facial recognition. A man named Robert Williams was mistakenly identified as a suspect based on a facial recognition match. The charges against Williams were dropped after it was realized that he was not the suspect.
Woodruff’s arrest has had a lasting impact on her and her children. She experienced physical and emotional distress while detained and suffered from stress-induced contractions as a result. Her children are struggling to cope with the fact that their mother was arrested in front of them. Woodruff hopes that her lawsuit will not only bring justice for herself but also shed light on the dangers of using facial recognition technology without proper safeguards in place.