The face biometrics algorithms used by police in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on body-worn cameras during a recent trial is supplied by Corsight AI.
The trial began in December, using Axon bodycams. Edmonton Police Service (EPS) requested a three-week extension into January after a “critical fault” error caused a system outage that prevented biometric matching for a week, CBC News reports, but it is unclear if the request was granted.
EPS used a watch list of “high-risk offenders” for the trial, according to the CBC, and that the bodycams performed biometric searches against this list whenever their recording function was turned on by officers. In other words, EPS trialled operator-initiated facial recognition.
Essex Police in England have used Corsight’s model for live facial recognition. Deployments were temporarily paused in that case for further evaluation after an initial assessment warned of potential demographic bias. The company also received the AI Performance Mark of Trust from the British Standards Institution (BSI), following an independent assessment of its systems.
In the Edmonton trial, potential matches were sent to officers trained in how to use facial recognition technology for review.
Alberta’s Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) warned as the proof-of-concept started that EPS had not been granted approval for the trial. EPS countered that it was required to perform and submit a privacy impact assessment, not to obtain permission from the regulator based on that document.
Edmonton Police Commission Chair Ben Henderson told the outlet in a statement that the project was reviewed by his body in September of 2025, with no objections as it was proof of concept testing only and its purpose was to collect data for further assessment.”
Kate Robertson, who researches how law, policy and technology interact as senior research associate with the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, argues there is no legal basis for the trial. Henderson disagrees.
The privacy impact assessment acknowledges limitations to how biometrics can be legally collected under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but states that EPS believes facial recognition can legally be used on bodycams with stringent controls in place.
Henderson says EPS is expected to issue a report on the trial before any further action is taken.
Article Topics
Axon | biometric matching | biometrics | body cam | Canada | Corsight | Edmonton police | facial recognition | law enforcement