New Orleans police reveal years of unapproved facial recognition surveillance use

In May 2025, New Orleans experienced a significant event involving a jail escape that prompted a manhunt for several escaped inmates. The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) had recently utilized controversial facial recognition technology. Despite a city ordinance restricting its use, the NOPD had been receiving real-time alerts from an AI-powered surveillance system, which involved 200 cameras across the city. This program was initially secretive, continuing to operate even after concerns were raised about its legality and impact on privacy rights. The system is operated by Project NOLA, a nonprofit organization based at the University of New Orleans, which claims that the technology has contributed to at least 34 arrests since its inception in 2023. However, it was revealed that police officers arrested individuals for non-violent crimes, thus violating the conditions set by the ordinance that limited the use of facial recognition to specific suspects in violent crime investigations. In April 2025, prior to the jailbreak incident, the NOPD had paused the use of real-time alerts after recognizing potential legal issues. There was explicit guidance from police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick to halt the alerts until compliance with legal requirements could be ensured. Despite this pause, reports indicated that alerts were still sent to state police and federal authorities. The unlawful operations of the surveillance system mingled with the urgency of the escape situation, which contributed to alarming privacy concerns. Privacy advocates criticized the unregulated use of such technologies, cautioning that it could lead to inappropriate monitoring of law-abiding citizens. The legal ramifications and public outcry surrounding the police's actions continue to resonate strongly in discussions regarding the balance between safety and civil liberties in America.