Briefcam at the City of Boston (2019)
Background
In 2019, we filed a public records request with the City of Boston, seeking information about its contracts with the company BriefCam, a manufacturer of video analytics technology.
| Request Submitted To | City of Boston |
| Category | Surveillance |
| Year Filed | 2019 |
| Number of Documents Received | 7 |
Responsive Documents
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | Briefcam Proposal FINAL II | 391.4 KB | |
| 2 | U18.2.2_P_703342 | 48.2 KB | |
| 3 | U18.2.2_C_48309 | 9.8 MB | |
| 4 | U18.2.2_I_9919252 | 35.4 KB | |
| 5 | U15.2.2_P_675531 | 48.1 KB | |
| 6 | U15.2.2_I_9916471 | 50.0 KB | |
| 7 | U15.2.2_C_40555 | 7.4 MB |
MA Police Departments Receiving Solicitations from Clearview AI
Background
In 2020, we filed public records requests with various police departments throughout Massachusetts, seeking information about Clearview AI, a facial recognition company. The following departments provided records detailing that they had received solicitations from the company:
| Request Submitted To | Various Police Departments |
| Category | Surveillance |
| Year Filed | 2020 |
| Number of Documents Received | 100 |
We said…
- All departments recieved an appropriately addressed version of our template Clearview request
Responsive Documents
Download all 100 documents from Google DriveBarnstable
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | SKM_45820022512350 | 102.7 KB | |
| 2 | barnstable_clearview | 11.6 MB |
Chelmsford
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | RE- ACLU Public Records Request | 57.0 KB |
Concord
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | ACLUM Public Records Request Pertaining to Facial Recognition | 80.8 KB | |
| 2 | Concord | 3.2 MB |
East Longmeadow
Download all 8 East Longmeadow docs| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | Re- ACLU Public Records Request | 42.2 KB | |
| 2 | ACLU_Facial_Recognition–lori.hall@eastlongmeadowma.gov_0 | 377.1 KB | |
| 3 | ACLU_Facial_Recognition–jeffrey.dalessio@eastlongmeadowma.gov_0_2019_1 | 2.5 MB | |
| 4 | ACLU_Facial_Recognition–jeffrey.dalessio@eastlongmeadowma.gov_0_2019_2 | 2.8 MB | |
| 5 | ACLU_Facial_Recognition–jeffrey.dalessio@eastlongmeadowma.gov_0_2019_3 | 2.1 MB | |
| 6 | ACLU Response | 59.5 KB | |
| 7 | Re- ACLU Public Records Request[1] | 42.3 KB | |
| 8 | ACLU_Facial_Recognition–jeffrey.dalessio@eastlongmeadowma.gov_0_2020 | 2.5 MB |
Hanson
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | SKM_364e20040708500 | 1.2 MB | |
| 2 | Records request Hanson [1] | 27.2 KB | |
| 3 | Records request Hanson | 27.2 KB |
Lowell
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | Facial Recognition Solicitations | 1.2 MB | |
| 2 | RE New request received | 52.7 KB |
Mansfield
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | RE Request# 2020-0020 Response to your Request | 35.4 KB | |
| 2 | ACLU Facial Recognition emails | 512.1 KB |
Marion
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | 20200407104414635 | 1.9 MB | |
| 2 | Response to records request for facial recognition | 24.3 KB |
Medway
Download all 58 Medway docsMerrimac
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | Information request | 35.0 KB | |
| 2 | Falcon | 63.8 KB |
Needham
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | Clearview | 14.9 MB | |
| 2 | RE ACLU Public Records Request | 29.0 KB | |
| 3 | Public records request pertaining to facial recognition | 26.0 KB | |
| 4 | Re Public records request pertaining to facial recognition | 28.5 KB | |
| 5 | Other Facial Recog | 4.7 MB |
North Andover
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | Re- ACLU Public Records Request | 46.7 KB | |
| 2 | Re- ACLU Public Records Request[1] | 55.8 KB |
Revere
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | Re ACLU Public Records Request | 28.8 KB | |
| 2 | FW Scanned from a Xerox Multifunction Printer | 25.2 KB | |
| 3 | RE SPR20 0626 Determination | 31.0 KB |
Stoneham
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | FW Public Records Request | 28.5 KB |
Tyngsborough
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | Re- ACLU Public Records Request[1] | 57.8 KB | |
| 2 | Re- ACLU Public Records Request | 52.3 KB | |
| 3 | Internal Email | 428.9 KB | |
| 4 | Records Request Information | 476.5 KB |
Winchester
| # | File Name | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | RE ACLU Public Records Request | 31.6 KB | |
| 2 | FW ACLUM Clearview AI Search | 24.9 KB | |
| 3 | solicitations | 1.4 MB |
Lantel at the Boston Office of Emergency Management
Background
Since 2003, the City of Boston and surrounding cities and towns have been designated as an “Urban Areas Security Initiative” (UASI) region by the federal Department of Homeland Security. This UASI designation enables the City and the larger Metro Boston Homeland Security Region (MBHSR) to apply for and obtain federal grants for information sharing, surveillance, emergency preparedness, police and first responder communications, and other technologies and staffing.The cities and towns included in the MBHSR are Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere, Somerville and Winthrop. Since 2003, the region has received hundreds of millions of dollars through the UASI grant program. These funds are distributed through the Office of Emergency Management in Boston, which also coordinates regional planning meetings, technology acquisitions and development, and regional training exercises, among other efforts.In July 2019, the ACLU sent an information request to the Office of Emergency Management, to learn more about region-wide surveillance networks.
| Request Submitted To | Boston Office of Emergency Management |
| Category | Surveillance |
| Year Filed | 2019 |
| Number of Documents Received | 266 |
Responsive Documents
Download all 266 docs from Google Drive
Federal Funds for the BRIC & OEM
Background
The ACLU of Massachusetts filed a public records request in June 2020 with the City of Boston seeking information about federal funding to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC) and the Boston Office of Emergency Management (OEM). The request, filed in the midst of national racial reckoning in the wake of the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police, aimed to reveal more information about the financial forces supporting policing in the greater Boston area. The City’s response details years of OEM and BRIC funding via federal Homeland Security Grant Program (HGSP) Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grants, as well as included detailed expense reports for both BRIC and OEM between 2017 and 2020.
| Request Submitted To | City of Boston |
| Category | Law Enforcement |
| Year Filed | 2020 |
| Number of Documents Received | 32 |
Responsive Documents
| # | File Name | Description | File Type | File Size |
| 1 | EOPSS_FEMA email query points of contact | EOPSS FEMA points of contact | 38 KB | |
| 2 | BRIC Expenditures 2017-2020 | BRIC expenses from 2017-2020 | 94 KB | |
| 3 | OEM Expenditures 2017 – 2020 | OEM expenses from 2017-2020 | 1.1 MB | |
| 4 | Key Terms | Key for reading expense reports (items 2 & 3) | 176 KB | |
| 5 | FY 2017 IJ – MA – Boston Urban Area | FY 2017 HSGP/UASI Investment Justification | 329 KB | |
| 6 | FY 2018 Investment Justification – MA – Boston Urban Area | FY 2018 HSGP/UASI Investment Justification | 3479 KB | |
| 7 | FY 2019 Investment Justification – GRT Submission | FY 2019 HSGP/UASI Investment Justification | 475 KB | |
| 8 | FY 2020 Investment Justification – MA – Boston Urban Area (1) | FY 2020 HSGP/UASI Investment Justification | 553 KB | |
| 9 | JPOC Documents | 12 documents from Metro Boston Homeland Security Region (MBHSR) Jurisdictional Point of Contact (JPOC) committee meetings;, including meeting notes and final grant allocations | ZIP | 946 KB |
| 10 | FY17 | FEMA HSGP/UASI Notice of Funding Opportunity 2017 (2 documents) | ZIP | 1 MB |
| 11 | FY18 | FEMA HSGP/UASI Notice of Funding Opportunity 2018 (3 documents) | ZIP | 2.1 MB |
| 12 | FY19 | FEMA HSGP/UASI Notice of Funding Opportunity 2019 (3 documents) | ZIP | 8 MB |
| 13 | FY20 | FEMA HSGP/UASI Notice of Funding Opportunity 2020 (4 documents) | ZIP | 1.3 MB |
MA Town & City Police
A number of the public records requests we have filed around facial recognition technology deal with its potential use by municipal police departments.
In July 2018 and March 2019, the ACLU of Massachusetts filed public records requests with over 40 law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth. Some of the below records are the result of this batch of inquiries. Police departments which reported no responsive documents in response to those requests are also listed below.
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| July 2018 | Cambridge PD | Facial Recognition at the Cambridge PD |
| March 2019 | Medford PD | Facial Recognition at the Medford PD |
| July 2018 | New Bedford PD | Facial Recognition at the New Bedford PD |
| April 2019 | Northampton PD | Facial Recognition & COPLINK at the Northampton PD |
| July 2018 | Plymouth PD | Suspect Technologies and the Plymouth PD |
| July 2019 | Plymouth PD | Facial Recognition at the Plymouth PD |
| July 2018 | Revere PD | Facial Recognition at the Revere PD |
| May 2019 | Salem PD | Facial Recognition at the Salem PD |
| March 2019 | Springfield PD | Facial Recognition at the Springfield PD |
| March 2019 | Peabody PD | Facial Recognition at the Peabody PD |
No Responsive Records
A list of responses from departments that claimed to have no records related to face recognition in July 2018 and March 2019 can be found here.
Such departments include: Barnstable County, Berkshire County, Boston, Bristol County, Brockton, Brookline, Chicopee, Dukes County, Essex County, Fall River, Framingham, Franklin County, Hampden County, Hampshire County, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Middlesex County, Nantucket County, Newton, Norfolk County, Peabody, Plymouth, Plymouth County, Quincy, Somerville, Springfield, Suffolk County, Taunton, Waltham, Weymouth, Worcester City, and Worcester County.
Federal Agencies
A number of the public records requests we have filed around facial recognition technology deal with its use by various federal agencies.
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
Short Description of what Lan-Tel is and why we're concerned about it.
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| July 2019 | City of Boston | |
| October 2019 | Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHSS) | |
| October 2019 | Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) | |
| October 2019 | Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance (EOAF) | |
| October 2019 | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) | |
| October 2019 | Massachusetts State Police (MSP |
State Agencies
A number of the public records requests we have filed around facial recognition technology deal with its use by various Massachusetts statewide agencies, including:
- Department of Transportation (DOT)
- Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS)
- Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS)
- Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS)
- Massachusetts State Police (MSP)
- Massachusetts Sheriff's Association (MSA)
- Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
Department of Transportation (DOT)
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| February 2019 | Department of Transportation (DOT) | Face Recognition at the Department of Transportation (DOT) |
Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS)
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| September 2019 | Department of Criminal Justice Information Services | Face Recognition at the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) |
Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS)
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| June 2019 | Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHSS) | Face Recognition at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services |
Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS)
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| February 2019 | Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) | Face Recognition at the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security |
Massachusetts State Police (MSP)
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| April 2017 | Massachusetts State Police | Massachusetts State Police Access to Fusion Center Booking Database |
| July 2018 | Massachusetts State Police | Face Recognition at the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) |
| July 2019 | Massachusetts State Police | Known Use of Face Recognition at the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) |
| November 2019 | Massachusetts State Police | Massachusetts State Police (MSP) Use of Face Recognition at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) |
Massachusetts Sheriff's Association
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| July 2018 | Massachusetts Sheriff's Association | Face Recognition at the MA Sheriff’s Association [2018] |
| April 2019 | Massachusetts Sheriff's Association | Face Recognition at the MA Sheriff’s Association [2019] |
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| 2018-2019 | Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) | Face Recognition at the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) |
Schools
A number of the public records requests we have filed around facial recognition technology deal with the threat of deployments inside schools.
| Date | Agency/Organization | Page |
| October 2019 | Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) | EOPSS Grants for Surveillance Tech in MA Schools |
| August 2019 | Various School Districts | Face Recognition in MA Schools |
| December 2019 | Revere Public Schools | Face Recognition in Revere Public Schools |
Clearview AI
Clearview AI is a dystopian face recognition tool that drew ire in 2019 for using images that are illicitly scraped from social media platforms as its training data. Leaked data from April 2021 revealed that dozens of police departments and other government agencies across Massachusetts have run searches using Clearview’s software:
In February and April 2020, the ACLU of Massachusetts filed public records requests with 346 Massachusetts Police Departments, requesting communications and records regarding Clearview AI, a dystopian private facial recognition software.
Below we present the results of these requests, split into the following three categories:
- Departments which reported use of or communication with Clearview AI
- Departments which reported only solicitations from Clearview AI
- Departments which reported no responsive documents
Use of or Communication with Clearview
The below police departments returned responsive documents which showed communication with, and in some cases use of, Clearview AI.
Solicitations from Clearview Only
The police departments which returned responsive documents which showed only solicitations from Clearview are listed here.
They include: Barnstable, Lowell, Needham, Palmer (Town), Stoneham, Revere, Chelmsford, Concord, Dudley, East Longmeadow, Hanson, Marion, Medway, Merrimac, North Andover, and Tyngsborough.
No Responsive Documents
The police departments which had no responsive documents are listed here.
They include: Abington, Acushnet, Amesbury, Amherst, Arlington, Ashburnham, Ashby, Ashfield, Athol, Attleboro, Auburn, Ayer, Barnstable, Barre, Bedford, Belcher, Belmont, Berkley, Bernardston, Billerica, Blackstone, Blandford, Bolton, Boxborough, Boxford, Boylston, Braintree, Brewster, Bridgewater, Brockton, Brookline, Buckland, Burlington, Canton, Carlisle, Charlemont, Chatham, Chelsea, Chicopee, Clarksburg, Clinton, Cohasset, Cummington, Danvers, Dartmouth, Dedham, Deerfield, Dennis, Douglas, Dover, Dracut, Dudley, Dunstable, East Hampton, Eastbridge, Eastbrookfield, Easton, Edgartown, Egremont, Erving, Essex, Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Franklin, Freetown, Gardner, Georgetown, Gill, Gloucester, Goshen, Gosnold, Grafton, Granby, Greenfield, Groveland, Hadley, Halifax, Hamilton, Hanover, Hardwick, Hatfield, Haverhill, Heath, Hingham, Holbrook, Holden, Holland, Holliston, Holyooke, Hopedale, Hopkington, Hubbardston, Hudson, Hull, Ipswich, Lakeville, Lawrence, Lee Town, Leicester, Lenox, Leominster, Leverett, Lexington, Lincoln, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Lunenburg, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester By The Sea, Marblehead, Mashpee, Massart, Mattapoisett, Maynard, Medfield, Medford, Melrose, Mendon, Methuen, Middleborough, Middlefield, Middleton, Milford, Millbury, Millis, Millville, Milton, Monson, Montague, Msp, Nahant, Nantucket, New Bedford, New Salem, Newburyport, Newton, Norfolk, North Adams, North Attleboro, North Brookfield, North Reading, Northbridge, Northfield, Northshore College, Norwell, Norwood, Orange, Orleans, Palmer, Paxton, Peabody, Pelham, Pembroke, Phillipston, Pittsfield, Plainville, Plymouth County Sheriff, Provincetown Od, Quincy, Randolph, Reading, Rehoboth, Rochester, Rockport, Rowe, Rowley, Royalston, Sandwich, Seekon, Sharon, Sheffield, Shelburn, Sherbon, Shirley, Shutesbury, Somerville, South Hadley, Southborough, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Stockbridge, Stoughton, Stow, Sturbridge, Sunderland, Sutton, Swampscott, Swansea, Taunton, Tisbury, Topsfield, Town Of Oxford, Townsend, Tyringham, Uptown, Uxbridge, Wakefield, Walpole, Waltham, Wareham, Warren Ma, Watertown, Webster, Wellfleet, Wenham, West Springfield, West Tisbury, Westfield, Westford, Westminster, Weston, Westwood, Weymouth, Whitman, Wilbraham, Williamstown, Wilmington, Winchendon, Windsor, Winthrop, Woburn, Worcester, and Worcester County Sheriff Office.
No Response
Other Massachusetts police departments not listed above did not respond to our records request.