SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah law enforcement agencies are increasingly using facial recognition technology to identify criminal suspects, but state law limits its use to specific circumstances and imposes some of the strictest safeguards in the nation.

Under Utah law, facial recognition technology may only be used for certain law enforcement purposes, including felony investigations, violent crimes, threats to human life, and efforts to identify deceased, incapacitated or at-risk individuals.

The technology recently came under scrutiny in the case of Brad Johnston, who faced a felony charge related to the vandalism of an Uber driver’s vehicle after a facial recognition match linked him to the case. Johnston maintained he was not involved.

“The only way I can describe it was just terrifying,” Johnston said.

MORE: Facial recognition AI misidentifies Utah man in felony vandalism case

The match was generated from surveillance video taken from inside the Uber ride, but Johnston insisted investigators had identified the wrong person. After months of court proceedings, the case was ultimately dismissed.

According to the most recently available data, Utah law enforcement agencies submitted 1,191 facial recognition requests between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. Of those, 706 resulted in probable matches, a rate of about 59%.

State law requires all facial recognition requests to be processed through the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Tanner Jensen, chief of investigations for the department, said requests from law enforcement have increased over the past five years.

Jensen said the system will analyze biometric data and measurements and two people manually review each image submitted for comparison. The process results in one of two outcomes: a possible match or no result. Once findings are returned to the requesting agency, the department’s involvement ends.

“If they do both feel like the match is viable, they’ll send that to the officer for further investigation with a disclaimer that this is an investigative lead and not necessarily something that’s part of the evidence,” Jensen said.

Most identifications are generated through comparisons with a driver’s license photographs. Jensen said biometric characteristics remain consistent over time, but human review is still critical.

“You may get a percentage below 90%, but that’s not to indicate that that’s not the individual,” Jensen said. “Or you may get a percentage that’s above 90% and we still don’t feel confident that that would be the individual. It really comes down to the human-in-the-loop aspect.”

Retired Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank said law enforcement agencies have adapted quickly to emerging technologies, much as they did when body-worn cameras were introduced.

“The technology is just moving so fast and furious,” Burbank said. “One of the things is the availability of AI to analyze a large database.”

Burbank said strong policies must guide the use of technology in policing.

“We need to ensure, again, is this policy sound for the public or is it just good for policing?” he said.

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SALT LAKE CITY — Although likely not in contention for the Utah Jazz with the No. 2 overall pick, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler is a name to remember in this year’s draft cycle.

As somewhat of a late-bloomer, Wagler dazzled with his offensive game in just one season with the Fighting Illini. But would the combo guard fit well with the Jazz?

Below is a full breakdown of his game, strengths, weaknesses, and potential fit in Utah.

Keaton Wagler: NBA Draft Snapshot

School: Illinois
Position: Guard
Age: 19

2025–26 stats

• 17.9 points
• 5.1 rebounds
• 4.2 assists

Shooting splits

• 44.5% FG
• 39.7% 3PT
• 79.6% FT

Strengths

• Positional size
• Shooting & shot-making
• Creation & pace

Weaknesses

• Defense
• Athleticism
• Strength

What Makes Keaton Wagler A Top Prospect In The NBA Draft?

The projected top ten in the upcoming draft is littered with guards, especially once you get past the first four. Of those guards, Wagler has arguably the best positional size.

Standing at 6-foot-6 with an unconfirmed wingspan of 6-foot-9, the Illinois freshman burst onto the scene with his smooth offensive game.

Maybe most impressively about Wagler is his ability to control the pace and tempo with the ball in his hands, a trait mastered by superstars in the NBA like Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

What sticks out to me most with Keaton Wagler is his pace/tempo with the ball in his hands.

His ability to control the game offensively is impressive for a college freshman.

pic.twitter.com/30mPvpumGS

— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) April 24, 2026

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Wagler demonstrated plenty of craft and control to get to his spots on offense, and he was just as prolific when it came to finishing the play.

He shot a blistering 39.7 percent on threes with a 59.6 true shooting percentage, both of those marks around or above the 80th percentile in college basketball.

It got to the point where other teams opted to foul Wagler instead of letting him pick apart their defense. He finished the season with 11 free throw attempts a night (89th percentile), and he shot a respectable 79.6 percent from the stripe.

When he wasn’t scoring or getting sent to the line, Wagler showed decent playmaking chops, dishing out 4.2 assists per game with a very solid 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio.

His passing game is at a base level right now. He has the ability to find the open man and make the right play, but there weren’t many eye-popping, “How did he see that?” passes across his 37 games with the Fighting Illini.

Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler on the road at #4 Purdue:

39 MIN
46 PTS (most ever by a visitor at Mackey Arena)
4 AST
13-17 FG
9-11 3PT
11-13 FT

Legitimately one of the single greatest performances in college basketball history…🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/yNbB0LAywX

— MBB Performances (@mbbperformances) January 26, 2026

There is a real argument for Wagler as one of the best shooters in the class. He has a lot to flesh out on both ends, but having the jumpshot as a fallback keystone skill could be very important for his development.

As a best-case scenario, Wagler could be a do-it-all combo guard offensively whose length lends him to be a passable perimeter defender. Think 18-5-5 averages with the ability to pop off for 30 points with five made threes on any given night.

Why Drafting Keaton Wagler Is Somewhat Of A Gamble

Wagler is somewhat of a late bloomer physically. It was reported that he stood at 5-foot-8 as a high school freshman and joined the Illinois program at a measly 168 pounds.

The silver lining is that he put on 14 pounds in just one summer of training on campus. With the assistance of an NBA strength training regimen, it is fair to project growth in that area.

Also, despite being outmatched physically most nights, Wagler showed no hesitation in driving into traffic and throwing his body around. Although he finished the season with zero dunks, and just one attempt.

Often, he struggled when the opposing team had either a daunting rim protector or physical point of attack defenders.

Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler – ranked No. 5 in ESPN’s Top 100 – has declared for the 2026 NBA draft, his agency ProMondo Sports tells me and @JeremyWoo. Wagler led the 28-9 Fighting Illini to the Final Four for the first time since 2005. pic.twitter.com/EPenhAQcz3

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 11, 2026

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As could be expected, his lack of strength and athleticism showed most on the defensive end.

With 1.3 stocks per game and just about average advanced defensive metrics, it’s unclear how much blame can be placed on the fact that he is underdeveloped physically.

He has great feel and basketball IQ on offense. Optimistically, that could eventually extend to the defensive end. But reality could see him evolve into a mostly one-sided player.

How Would Keaton Wagler Fit With The Utah Jazz?

From a positional and skillset view, Wagler could fit in well with the Jazz. As an off-guard, he could slide in as the two alongside Keyonte George, while also not interfering with the loaded frontcourt rotation.

He would likely come off the bench for the first few seasons of his career, with the opportunity to join the first five as he grows and matures.

It is worth noting that two of Utah’s recent first-round picks, Cody Williams and Ace Bailey, also came in needing to put on weight. Williams struggled early, while Bailey had enough offensive talent to negate the clear need for physical progression.

As the Jazz move toward playoff contention, the path for development isn’t as unobstructed as that of other teams in the lottery. Still, Wagler would have ample opportunity to become an effective rotational piece with enough time to make the necessary improvements.

Chandler Holt is a Utah Jazz insider for KSLSports.com and co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast. Follow Chandler on X for Jazz and NBA updates.

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In the past, a Democrat running for Congress in Utah would typically face an uphill battle. But, for the first time in modern history, Utah has a safe Democratic congressional seat that could help determine the makeup of the House majority come November.

The outcome is a result of a mid-decade redistricting process that had nothing to do with President Trump and everything to do with a years-long legal battle to prevent partisan gerrymandering. The legal battle ended with Utah’s four congressional districts redrawn.

Cook Political Report labels the newly redrawn 1st Congressional District as +12 points for Democrats, though some argue it’s even bluer, based on the percentage of its population that voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris. The new map concentrated the capital and largest city Salt Lake City, the bluest dot in a red sea, into one seat and included many of the more Democratic-leaning suburbs. The opportunity to elect a Democrat has generated enthusiasm among the Utah Democratic Party in an era when sentiment for the national party is floundering.

It’s also created one of the most competitive Democratic primary election races Utah has ever seen. In a crowded field, voters will pick between four candidates who are all different flavors of Democrat, ranging from moderate to much more progressive and aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America.

“Democrats are the odds on favorites to win this district. The question has shifted from can a Democrat win to the question of which Democrat will win,” said Damon Cann, professor of political science at Utah State University.

The top three candidates, Democratic state Sen. Nate Blouin, former Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams and the political newcomer and Utah Democratic convention winner Liban Mohamed, are all presenting different messages to voters.

Liban Mohamed won more than 51% of the delegates at the Utah Democratic Party’s nominating convention in April, though the primary will decide the final nominee. In this file photo, Mohamed speaks on a panel of candidates running to represent Utah’s new Democratic-leaning congressional district in Taylorsville, Utah on March 21.

Hannah Schoenbaum/AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum/AP

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Hannah Schoenbaum/AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum/AP

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Why Utah’s race matters nationally

The new district is the biggest opportunity Utah Democrats have ever had for Congressional representation, especially when the majority margin in Congress is miniscule.

“We have the ability to add to the body and the Democrats in the House of Representatives in a way that may swing that chamber back to Democratic control,” said Brian King, the chair of the Utah Democratic Party.

It’s also a pocket of blue energy during a time when excitement for the national Democratic party is low. The moment the district was solidified, King said candidates were immediately jumping in the race and participation at the Utah Democratic Convention hit a record turnout.

He said Utah is a successful example of why the national party should be investing in flipping red states and not just focusing on purple districts and areas they know they can win.

“Democrats, if they’re going to be successful across this country, they have to figure out how to speak, to reach and change the hearts and minds of voters in red areas,” he said.