Dallas PD Clearview AI facial recognition policy
Dallas Police Department Clearview AI Facial Recognition Technology Program (2024)
Dallas, TX · Dallas Police Department Clearview AI Facial Recognition Technology Program; City Council Public Safety Committee approval May 2024; City Manager Memo October 11, 2024
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- October 17, 2024
- Applies to
- Dallas Police Department detectives and analysts; requires supervisor approval and dual-analyst review for each query.
- Enforced by
- Dallas Police Department; Office of Community Police Oversight; City Auditor
The Dallas Police Department received unanimous approval from the City Council's Public Safety Committee in May 2024 to use Clearview AI's facial recognition technology for investigating serious crimes. The department secured a three-year, $89,000 contract with Clearview AI using grant funds — which meant full City Council approval was not required. The program went live on October 17, 2024. The policy restricts use to violent crimes (felonies) and emergencies posing an immediate threat to public safety; detectives must obtain supervisor approval and each query must be reviewed by an FBI-trained specialist plus a second independent analyst before any lead is acted upon. The technology cannot be used on live video streams or images from First Amendment activities such as protests. As of December 2025, DPD had used the tool 156 times and attributed 25 arrests to the program. The department subsequently proposed expanding use to lesser crimes (trespassing, package theft) — a proposal that drew criticism from privacy advocates and had not been formally approved as of September 2026.
Who is protected: Dallas residents affected by criminal investigations where facial recognition is used; civil-liberties safeguards limit use to serious crimes with human review requirements.
Legal detail
Dallas Police Department Clearview AI facial recognition program (approved May 2024; live October 17, 2024). Contract: 3-year, $89,000 with Clearview AI, paid via grant funds (no full City Council appropriation vote required). Approved by City Council Public Safety Committee (unanimous, May 2024). Policy parameters per DPD General Order and city manager memorandum (October 11, 2024): (1) SCOPE: violent crimes (felonies) and immediate public-safety emergencies only; cannot be used for lesser offenses absent new policy approval; (2) PRIOR-CRIME REQUIREMENT: investigative use only — not for pre-emptive identification; (3) CHAIN OF REVIEW: detective → supervisor approval → FBI-trained specialist runs query → second independent analyst reviews matches before any lead moves forward; (4) PROHIBITIONS: no live-stream facial recognition; no queries on images of people attending protests or First Amendment activity; cannot serve as sole basis for arrest (corroborating evidence required); (5) USAGE: 156 searches, 25 arrests attributed (as of Dec 2025). Expansion proposal (Dec 2025): DPD sought to extend use to trespassing and package theft — not adopted as of September 2026. Companion entry: Dallas RTCC / Fusus Policy (Fusus/RTCC general surveillance policy, separate instrument).
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Dallas, TX |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | May 1, 2024 |
| Citation | Dallas Police Department Clearview AI Facial Recognition Technology Program; City Council Public Safety Committee approval May 2024; City Manager Memo October 11, 2024 |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Policy violations subject to departmental discipline; no external enforcement mechanism specified in public documents. |
| Topics | facial recognition · biometric data · police and surveillance AI |
| News report | Clearview AI facial recognition gets green light for use by Dallas police — Biometric Update (May 2024) |
More AI rules in Dallas, TX
- Dallas ISD AI Handbook (Policies DEC/EIA/FD/FNCA amended) · In effect
- Dallas RTCC / Fusus Policy · In effect
- Dallas GenAI Directive · In effect
Related facial recognition rules elsewhere
- Virginia § 15.2-1723.2 (facial recognition by local law enforcement, eff. July 1, 2026) · In effect
- Bristol VA PD facial recognition program (first VA local agency) · 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
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