Mon Jan 1, 0001

Palantir in Local Policing

LAPD

Contract began 2009, initially funded by In-Q-Tel (CIA venture arm), later by city. Integrated crime reports, field interview cards, ALPR data, other records into unified platform.

Operation LASER (2011-2019)

Los Angeles Strategic Extraction and Restoration. Predictive policing using Palantir software. Generated “Chronic Offender Bulletins” scoring individuals by predicted risk of violent crime involvement. Officers directed to make contact with people on lists.

Ended April 2019 after criticism from Stop LAPD Spying Coalition and internal audit finding inconsistent/unreliable point assignments, racial bias concerns, lack of oversight. Brennan Center documented opacity of algorithm and disproportionate impact on Black and Latino communities.

New Orleans PD (Secret Program, 2012-2018)

The Verge (February 2018): Palantir ran secret predictive policing program with NOPD since 2012. Provided pro bono. Key city council members (including criminal justice committee) stated they had no knowledge. System ingested social media, criminal records, license plate reader data, other sources to map social networks and predict violence.

Other Departments

Documented users: NYPD, Chicago PD, Virginia State Police, Sacramento County Sheriff, numerous fusion centers.

Palantir Gotham Data Sources

ALPR data, social media posts, SARs (Suspicious Activity Reports), phone records, gang databases, jail booking data, probation/parole records.

California state audit of LAPD’s CalGang database (feeding into Palantir, 2021): found numerous errors and unsupported entries.

ICE — FALCON System

Fugitive Alien Location and Communication Network. Operational since at least 2014. Connects to: DMV records, utility records, social media, phone records, DHS Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT). Used by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations to locate deportation targets.

Contract values: hundreds of millions total. 2019 renewal: ~$49.8 million (USAspending.gov).

Sources

  • The Verge (February 2018) on NOPD
  • Brennan Center for Justice reports
  • Stop LAPD Spying Coalition
  • California State Auditor (2021)
  • ACLU documentation
  • USAspending.gov