City Government
Public Frowned On Facial Recognition
July 26, 2019 
Amazing how effective a little bad press and public outcry can be in an election year.
Just a couple weeks after claiming that employee safety was the motivation for a $53,000 contract for a facial recognition system, Mayor Dave Bieter and his Team Dave dumped plans to spend the cash to protect employees.
The GUARDIAN was critical of the move. The American Civil Liberties Union and Council President Lauren McLean, who is trying to unseat Bieter, also condemned the idea of Team Dave unilaterally spending the cash for a dubious system.
The IDAHO PRESS posted the decision Friday after Bieter’s staff issued a press release confirming the action.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
© 2019 Boise Guardian. 
Jul 26, 2019, 9:14 pm
Lauren is making points, hope she unseats this ego maniac.
Jul 26, 2019, 9:59 pm
I had to get a new driver’s license with a new photograph. I was told to smile but not show any teeth. I complied but asked why no teeth when I smiled. The answer was “facial recognition”. It appears that it works best when the smile has no teeth. I hate to say it, but it’s not just Team Dave – it’s the world we live in.
Jul 26, 2019, 11:52 pm
If Lauren McLean is to be successful she needs to come out of Bieter’s shadow. She needs to differentiate herself from Bieter and TeamDave in BIG ways that matter. Pocketbook issues and other issues of liberty and justice for the taxpayer. This security camera stuff is very small spuds.
What does she think of:
*F-35 at BOI?
*A position on the crazy expensive library?
*Tax clawbacks? Max rate increases every time?
*Urban renewal when/where it’s not needed?
*Spending my money in my part of the city?
*Bieter’s massive slush funds of hidden past tax revenues?
*Districts for city council seats?
Based on the soft pitch fluff I’ve heard so far I’m pretty sure she’d just be TeamDave 2.0 if elected. I can’t imagine her cleaning house and changing the dictator’s tax-n-spend ideology we suffer now.
Jul 27, 2019, 4:48 am
The city of Boise clearly has too much money for toys. Yes, Bieter needs to be replaced by whoever wants the job.
Jul 27, 2019, 7:35 am
If they were worried about keeping those people out that are a danger to the voters then the software would go off every time the mayor or city council members go in the building. hehehe
Jul 27, 2019, 7:39 am
Be careful – sometimes sneaking politicos create “problems” so they can solve them and look they they are doing something good.
If the Council Chair was really interested in doing something that would benefit the voters let see her get council seats by geography PASSED and implemented.
Jul 27, 2019, 11:34 am
While this gained a lot of bad publicity, how will feel if a mass shooter event takes place by a disgruntled person? Yes it is possibly an invasion of privacy. However it is also a world we live in- of mass shooter events……
EDITOR NOTE–Facial recognition is an IDENTIFIER. City currently has no security force, X-ray, magnetometer, or inspection like the courthouse, federal building or airport. Currently anyone can carry a concealed weapon into City Hall. The facial contract was simply not well thought out in advance.
Jul 27, 2019, 3:53 pm
3rdGenBoise
You must realize your drivers license no longer is a permit to drive. It along with your social security number and photograph has become your national ID card. Next will be a requirement that your finger print and BIO information will be required information placed on the drivers license. All this in the name of national security. You can bet your sweet bippy that any personal information collected by the state or city ends up in a federal data base. Horse Pucky. Welcome to Big Brother
Jul 28, 2019, 2:23 pm
Don’t forget the liberty they take in selling your data. It’s amazing how many vendors target a specific demographic based on information harvested from state collection procedures. Worse yet, schools continue to sell student info as well.
Jul 29, 2019, 3:42 pm
McLean may as well tell us about her positions. She will lose her council seat as she is not running for it. If she wishes to remain in the city government, she has to win. She must know something that is uncomfortable.
Jul 31, 2019, 6:54 pm
Excellent News!!!
Freedom making a comeback and tyranny got knocked back a bit.
Re so-called “mass shooter” event….how is this a guarantee that will stop such a thing? How many people in this city are YOU, Mr Kangas, indicting as a “mass shooter” to justify a face recog system?
I know more about these events than anyone else in this city and this is not how you prevent them. The first thing one needs to know about mass shooters is answering what the Smith-Mundt Act is and WHY was it repealed by Obama in 2012?