Bristol, VA Police Department — Facial Recognition Technology Program (General Order 9-09, 2026) under Va. Code § 15.2-1723.2
Bristol, VA · Bristol VA PD General Order 9-09, Facial Recognition Technology (eff. June 1, 2026); Va. Code § 15.2-1723.2 (eff. July 1, 2026); Clearview AI via LexisNexis
The Bristol, Virginia Police Department launched a facial recognition technology (FRT) program on June 1, 2026, governed by a 27-page General Order 9-09. Bristol PD is the first known local law-enforcement agency in Virginia to adopt FRT following the state's shift from an effective ban to an authorization-with-safeguards regime under Va. Code § 15.2-1723.2. The program uses Clearview AI, accessed through LexisNexis. Bristol PD publicly posts its facial recognition activity record at bristolva.gov as required by state law. Under Va. Code § 15.2-1723.2, local agencies that use FR must publish a policy, publish an annual report by April 1 each year, maintain confidentiality of FR data, and restrict access to warrant-authorized queries. The DCJS reported that NO Virginia local law-enforcement agencies used FR in 2023 or 2024 (prior to the July 1, 2026 authorization change).
Technical detail
Va. Code § 15.2-1723.2 (as amended, effective July 1, 2026) authorizes local law-enforcement agencies to purchase and deploy facial recognition technology subject to: (1) a publicly posted written policy; (2) annual public reporting by April 1 on total queries, positive-candidate results, investigative leads offered, cases closed, offense types, repository used, demographic data, and data-sharing; (3) confidentiality requirements prohibiting dissemination or resale of FR data; (4) access only through qualifying search warrant or administrative/inspection warrant. Bristol VA PD General Order 9-09 (27 pp., effective June 1, 2026) implements these requirements via strict oversight: working with the Bristol VA Commonwealth's Attorney's Office; Clearview AI is accessed through LexisNexis. Bristol PD public FRT activity record at bristolva.gov/708. Prior law (§ 15.2-1723.2 effective until July 1, 2026) required local agencies to use the State Police model policy only and DCJS found zero local VA agencies reported FR use in 2023-2024.
Who is protected: Bristol, VA residents and visitors; state annual-report requirements create public transparency on FR use patterns
Who must comply: Bristol, VA Police Department personnel (General Order 9-09); any Virginia local law-enforcement agency that adopts FR must comply with Va. Code § 15.2-1723.2 requirements
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Bristol, VA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2026-06-01 |
| Enacted | 2026-06-01 |
| Citation | Bristol VA PD General Order 9-09, Facial Recognition Technology (eff. June 1, 2026); Va. Code § 15.2-1723.2 (eff. July 1, 2026); Clearview AI via LexisNexis |
| Enforced by | Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS); Bristol City Commonwealth's Attorney |
| Private right of action | No — agency enforcement only |
| Topics | facial recognition · biometric data · police and surveillance AI |
| Last verified | 2026-08-12 |
| Official source | Bristol, VA — Facial Recognition Technology Activity Record (official city page) ↗ |
Related facial recognition rules elsewhere
- Virginia § 15.2-1723.2 (facial recognition by local law enforcement, eff. July 1, 2026) · In effect
- Ban biometric recognition in public accommodations (Ban The Scan) · Proposed / pending
- Limit facial recognition in residential buildings (Ban The Scan) · Proposed / pending
- Texas v. Google · In effect
- Lorenzano-Nunez v. Roestenberg — FR wrongful arrest (2026) · Blocked / in litigation
- Montgomery County MD Police Directive FC 0627 · In effect
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