In effect
Moderate protection
Santa Cruz Surveillance Technology and Community Safety Ordinance
Santa Cruz, CA · Ord. 2020-09 (2020-06-23)
First U.S. city to ban predictive policing; also bans city use of facial recognition.
Technical detail
First U.S. city to ban predictive policing; also bans city use of facial recognition. Ord. 2020-09, effective 2020-06-23.
Who is protected: Santa Cruz residents and visitors
Who must comply: Santa Cruz government agencies (and others where ordinance reaches private use)
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Santa Cruz, CA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Moderate protection |
| Effective date | 2020-06-23 |
| Enacted | 2020-06-23 |
| Citation | Ord. 2020-09 (2020-06-23) |
| Enforced by | Santa Cruz government |
| Topics | facial recognition · police and surveillance AI · government use of AI |
| Last verified | 2026-06-16 |
| Official source | Santa Cruz Surveillance Technology and Community Safety Ordinance — source ↗ |
More AI rules in Santa Cruz, CA
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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