In six months of operation, the Smart Sampa system — a surveillance camera and facial recognition program implemented by the City of São Paulo — led to the arrest of 1,153 fugitives from justice and recorded 23 errors. Of those mistakenly identified, 11 were released on the spot, while the remaining individuals were released after identity verification at the police station. According to the city, these cases represent 1.83% of all recognition actions conducted during the period. The errors were concentrated in December 2024 (9 cases) and January 2025 (8 cases). In February, the system was recalibrated, increasing the confidence level from 90% to 92%. As a result, the number of monthly errors fell to one or two.
This Content Is Only For Subscribers
To unlock this content, subscribe to INTERLIRA Reports.
Smart Sampa Numbers
With the help of the system, the Civil Police have solved 275 crimes and located 68 missing persons. Additionally, 1,153 fugitives have been arrested through facial recognition. According to official data, no innocent individuals were wrongfully imprisoned. However, 53 people were taken in for questioning and later released due to outdated warrant information in the Justice database, while six others were released after inconsistencies in their records were identified. Another 23 individuals were questioned and subsequently released. The system reports a facial recognition accuracy rate of 98.14%, with only 1.86% of recognitions considered inconsistent.
Presentation of Data
The data was presented by Mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB) on Wednesday (18/06) at the program’s operations center during a press conference.
Criticism of the Program
One of the main criticisms of the program concerns its transparency. The original notice stated that an operational report must be published: “The Smart Sampa platform, since its implementation, must provide information that will be made available on the transparency portal, including its impact and results.”
Main Program
Smart Sampa is one of the flagship programs of Mayor Ricardo Nunes’s (MDB) administration. Currently, there are 31,300 cameras in operation throughout the city, to reach 100,000 by the end of its term in 2028.
Analysis:
The data from the Smart Sampa system illustrates the growing role of surveillance and facial recognition technology in urban public security management. With over 31,000 cameras installed and more than 1,100 fugitives apprehended, the system demonstrates a high operational capacity in supporting police investigations and locating missing persons. The facial recognition accuracy rate of 98.14% is technically significant and suggests that, within its current parameters, the system has achieved a strong balance between efficiency and control. However, even with a low margin of error, the 23 mistaken identifications raise legitimate concerns regarding civil liberties, due process, and data accuracy in criminal justice databases. Cases involving outdated warrant information or inconsistencies in personal records reveal structural flaws that cannot be resolved by technology alone.
Finally, the absence of detailed public reports, despite requirements in the original contract, undermines transparency. For a program that deeply affects individual rights and public trust, it is essential to maintain open communication and regular disclosure of performance metrics.
Sources: A Folha de SP; O Globo.
