Tulsa State Fair Using Facial Recognition Cameras To Improve Security This Year

The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office is introducing new technology for this year's Tulsa State Fair, including facial recognition cameras designed to enhance security.

The fair, which runs for 11 days, is expected to welcome more than a million attendees.

Deputies will use these cameras to help identify anyone attempting to bring a weapon into the fairgrounds.

Sheriff Vic Regalado said the technology has a lot of potential.

“It’s amazing what these things can do. We will be the first law enforcement agency to deploy that in a major operation such as the Tulsa County State Fair," he said.

The sheriff noted that more than a hundred children were separated from their families during last year’s fair.

He urges parents to take pictures of their children before attending, as these images can be entered into the system.

“We can take that picture, put it into the system, and then those security cameras, as they scan, can lock into a child whose face that belongs to,” Regalado explained.

The facial recognition software will also assist law enforcement in locating wanted individuals and spotting anyone trying to enter with a weapon.

Security consultant Michael Stopp described the technology as “a technology using AI that goes on top of existing cameras that can detect brandished firearms.”

Deputies will continue to patrol on foot and utilize safety towers throughout the fair.

Additionally, a drone capable of detecting explosives, weapons, and hazardous materials will be present.

Parents with small children are encouraged to pick up wristbands at the sheriff’s office command post or their booth, where they can write their phone numbers in case they become separated from their kids.

Related:

1. The Ultimate Guide To The Tulsa State Fair
2. THD Inspects Fair Food