NYPD union sounds alarm on new facial recognition tool that could be ‘weaponized’ by anti-cop activists

A database containing thousands of NYPD officers’ records has added a new facial recognition tool — which could be “weaponized” by anti-cop activists to harass the Finest, critics said.

The website, 50-a.org, added a feature this month enabling the public to upload photos of cops to figure out their name, assignment in the department, and other publicly sourced information including complaints and disciplinary records.

Retired NYPD Lt. John Macari, who sounded the alarm on X over the new photo-search option, warned cop haters will likely abuse the newfound ease for obtaining NYPD officers’ personal information via photo.

“We have examples where anti-police advocates or anti-police agitators have used this publicly sourced information to show up at officers’ homes,” Macari told The Post.

The Police Benevolent Association, the union repping 21,000 cops, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the website demanding it take down the new photo-upload tool, according to a copy of the letter.

“These activists are against any kind of technology that helps catch criminals, but they’ll use those same tools to target police officers,” PBA President Patrick Hendry said. “It’s hypocrisy at our Finest.”

The new tool also could lead to “frivolous complaints” if the search tool misidentifies officers based on the uploaded photos, Macari warned.

“I [previously] got a couple of complaints just based upon the fact that I was bald and I have tattoos, and I wasn’t even on the scene,” the former cop said.

A representative for 50-a.org, whose name refers to the repealed 1976 law that conceals police misconduct records from the public, didn’t respond to a request for comment.