TL;DR: The Milwaukee Police Department wants facial recognition. Most of the city council doesn't. MPD has been negotiating with a company called Biometrica to exchange 2.5 million mugshots for access to their facial recognition software. 11 of 15 aldermen sent a letter opposing the technology in May 2025. The Equal Rights Commission voted unanimously against it in July 2025. But the aldermen can't actually block it until it's implemented, and then they'd need a two-thirds vote. The fight continues into 2026.
The Trade: 2.5 Million Faces for Surveillance Power
The Milwaukee Police Department wasn't looking to buy facial recognition. They were looking to barter for it.
The deal under discussion: MPD hands over 2.5 million mugshots from their database to Biometrica, a private surveillance company. In exchange, Biometrica gives MPD access to their facial recognition software for free.
Think about that transaction. Milwaukee's mugshot database (photos taken during every arrest for years) becomes training data for a private company. That company then offers the resulting surveillance tool to police departments nationwide. Milwaukee cops get facial recognition without spending a dime. Biometrica gets millions of faces to improve their product.
Everyone wins. Except the 2.5 million people whose faces just became surveillance commodities.
11 of 15 Aldermen: No Thanks
In May 2025, a majority of Milwaukee's Common Council signed a letter to Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. Their message was clear: we don't want this technology.
The letter outlined specific concerns:
- Misidentification risks: Facial recognition has documented accuracy problems, particularly for people of color and women. Studies consistently show higher error rates for darker-skinned faces.
- Erosion of community trust: Milwaukee's police-community relations are already strained. Adding surveillance technology that disproportionately misidentifies minorities won't help.
- Lack of oversight: No clear policy framework exists for how the technology would be used, who could access it, or what happens when it makes mistakes.
Eleven aldermen, a clear majority, signed on. But here's the problem: a letter isn't legislation.
The Power Problem
Milwaukee's city council has an unusual limitation. They can't block police department policies before implementation. They can only respond afterward.
If Police Chief Norman decides to move forward with facial recognition, he can. The council would then need to pass an ordinance blocking or modifying the policy. That requires a two-thirds vote: 10 of 15 aldermen.
They have 11 signatures on a letter. A letter of opposition isn't a binding vote. When it comes to actual legislation, will all 11 hold firm? Will they find a 10th if one wavers?
The safer approach would be passing a CCOPS ordinance (Community Control Over Police Surveillance) before facial recognition arrives. This would require council approval for any new surveillance technology. The ACLU of Wisconsin has been pushing for exactly this.
So far, no CCOPS ordinance has passed.
Equal Rights Commission: Unanimous Opposition
In July 2025, Milwaukee's Equal Rights Commission weighed in. Their vote was unanimous: oppose facial recognition.
The commission cited the same concerns as the aldermen: accuracy problems, racial bias, community trust. They added that facial recognition could have a chilling effect on First Amendment rights. People might avoid protests, community meetings, or public gatherings if they know they're being scanned.
The Equal Rights Commission is advisory. Their resolution doesn't carry legal force. But it adds weight to the opposition. Every official body that examines this issue reaches the same conclusion: the risks outweigh the benefits.
MPD's Response: "We're Still Talking"
As of August 2025, the Milwaukee Police Department said no final decisions had been made about facial recognition expansion.
"Continued conversations with the public" were ongoing, according to MPD representatives. They acknowledged the concerns raised by aldermen and civil rights groups. They declined to commit either way.
That was six months ago. The situation remains unresolved. MPD hasn't announced adoption of facial recognition. But they haven't closed the door either.
The Biometrica negotiations may continue behind closed doors. The technology may be deployed before anyone knows. Or public pressure may have already killed the deal quietly. MPD isn't saying.
Meanwhile, at the County Level
Milwaukee County is having the same fight, but making more progress.
In June 2025, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors voted to create a plan for regulating facial recognition in the Sheriff's Office. They're working with community stakeholders to develop recommendations. The deadline: May 2026.
It's not a ban. But it's a process. And it acknowledges that surveillance technology decisions shouldn't be made unilaterally by law enforcement.
The city could learn from the county's approach. Instead of waiting for MPD to act and then scrambling to respond, they could proactively establish rules.
Why Milwaukee Matters Nationally
Milwaukee isn't the biggest city debating facial recognition. But it's a useful test case.
Cities across America are having versions of this fight. Some (like San Francisco and Oakland) have banned police facial recognition entirely. Others have embraced it with minimal oversight. Most are somewhere in between.
Milwaukee shows what happens when a police department wants the technology and the community doesn't. The structural power imbalance matters. Police can often adopt surveillance tools without democratic input. Retroactive oversight is harder than proactive prevention.
If Milwaukee's aldermen succeed in blocking facial recognition, it provides a template. Strong public opposition, coordinated civil society pressure, and persistent political organizing can overcome police department preferences.
If they fail, it's another data point for why CCOPS ordinances and preemptive legislation matter.
What You Can Do
If You're in Milwaukee
Contact your alderperson. Ask directly: will you vote to block facial recognition if it comes to a vote? Attend Common Council meetings when surveillance is on the agenda. Public comment matters.
Support Local Organizations
The ACLU of Wisconsin is actively fighting this battle. Community groups are organizing. Find them, join them, amplify them.
Push for CCOPS
A Community Control Over Police Surveillance ordinance would prevent this situation in the future. Any new surveillance tech would need council approval. Demand one before the next surveillance fight starts.
Document and Share
Follow local reporting on this issue. Share stories about facial recognition failures and wrongful arrests. Public awareness drives political will.
What Happens Next
The Milwaukee facial recognition fight isn't resolved. As of January 2026:
- MPD hasn't announced a decision on Biometrica partnership
- No CCOPS ordinance has passed
- The County's stakeholder process continues toward May 2026
- Civil rights groups maintain pressure
The technology is waiting. The surveillance company is willing. Only public opposition stands in the way.
Whether that's enough depends on whether 11 letter-signers become 10 binding votes. We'll find out.
References
- Urban Milwaukee - Majority of Alderpersons Oppose Police Facial Recognition (May 2025)
- Wisconsin Watch - Milwaukee Police weighs expanding facial recognition (August 2025)
- Wisconsin Public Radio - Milwaukee police facial recognition debate (2025)
- ACLU - Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS)
- Biometric Update - Milwaukee aldermen oppose police facial recognition (January 2026)