To establish procedures when using the Honolulu
Police Department’s (HPD) facial recognition
program to identify possible suspects or other investigative leads.

BACKGROUND

A. The facial recognition program was
created in conjunction with the Hawaii Criminal
Justice Data Center, Department of the Attorney
General. The program helps to identify possible
suspects by generating investigative leads for detectives.

B. The facial recognition system
is a computer program that searches and compares
existing photographs or videos to known mug shot
photographs. The system is used to link known
crimes and persons and provide assistance with
identifying a potential suspect(s).

C. The system is designed to compare
unknown suspects with new and current photographs
that are continually updated to link certain crimes
to individuals and provide assistance with
investigations. This includes (but is not
limited to) detectives with open cases,
investigative units such as the Narcotics/
Vice Division, and other outside agencies
(i.e., Department of the Medical Examiner).

GUIDELINES

A. The Crime Analysis Unit (CAU)
acts as a support detail and provides assistance
for an ongoing criminal investigation and other
types of inquiries. The assigned detective and
detail shall continue to be responsible for the case.

B. Requests for facial recognition program
services shall be submitted, via channels, to
the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) on the
Crime Analysis Request, HPD-107B form, with
photograph(s) or video(s) to be reviewed.
Photograph(s) and video(s) shall be handled as
specified in Policy 8.13, HANDLING OF EVIDENCE AND FOUND PROPERTY.

Requests for expedited processing shall be
indicated on the HPD-107B form in the OTHER/COMMENTS section.

C. The facial recognition program can
examine various electronic media types for
photographs and videos. Electronic media,
including (but not limited to) thumb drives,
compact discs, external hard drives, and hard
copies, may be submitted with the request.

D. If the facial recognition system
detects a viable candidate, the CAU shall
complete a follow-up report for the assigned
detective. The CAU analyst’s follow-up report
shall contain the steps taken to compare the
known and unknown photographs and how the CAU
analyst came to his or her conclusion(s).

E. In the event that a viable candidate
cannot be located from the facial recognition
system, the assigned detective will be notified
that no candidate was identified.

F. If the CAU cannot discern a viable
candidate, the photograph of the suspect
will be considered unknown and remain in
the facial recognition database system until:

1. A viable candidate is found;

2. The assigned detective notifies the
CAU that the case has been completed, a viable
candidate is no longer necessary, or the suspect
has been found through other means; or

3. The statute of limitations has expired for the specific case.

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) DATABASE

If there is no match in the HPD’s facial
recognition program, the image may be sent
to the FBI to search their Next Generation
Identification (NGI) database. To request
a search of the FBI’s NGI database, the
assigned detective shall submit a completed
Crime Analysis Request, HPD-107B form, via
channels, to the CID commander or designee.

CAVEAT

Any results from the facial recognition system
shall be used only as a guide for the investigation.
The information provided does not constitute
probable cause for an arrest. The results are
only possible name(s) for the photograph(s) and
video(s) that were submitted with the request.
It shall be the responsibility of the assigned
detective to verify the identity of all suspects.

AUTHORIZED USERS

Only departmental personnel who have been
trained in the use of the facial recognition
program shall access and use the system.