Santa Cruz, CA — Ordinance banning municipal use of predictive policing and facial recognition technology
Santa Cruz, CA · Ordinance banning municipal use of predictive policing and facial recognition technology
Santa Cruz became the first U.S. city to bar its police department from using predictive policing (and facial recognition) technology unless the City Council finds by resolution that it is peer-reviewed, unbiased, and protective of civil rights.
Technical detail
Santa Cruz became the first U.S. city to bar its police department from using predictive policing (and facial recognition) technology unless the City Council finds by resolution that it is peer-reviewed, unbiased, and protective of civil rights.
Who is protected: People subject to this body's AI/surveillance systems.
Who must comply: Santa Cruz, CA
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Santa Cruz, CA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2020-06-23 |
| Citation | Ordinance banning municipal use of predictive policing and facial recognition technology |
| Topics | police and surveillance AI · automated decision-making · facial recognition · government use of AI |
| Last verified | 2026-07-01 |
| Official source | Santa Cruz is the First City to Ban Predictive Policing (Santa Cruz Works) ↗ |
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