Seattle Police Department — Facial Recognition Policy (2023)
Seattle, WA · Seattle Police Manual §12.045 (2023)
Seattle Police Department Manual policy generally prohibiting SPD officers from using facial recognition technology, with no department-issued FR tools and a ban on requesting third-party FR queries.
Technical detail
SPD Manual Section 12.045 (2023) prohibits SPD personnel from using facial recognition technology, requesting third parties to run FR queries, or accepting investigative leads derived from FR queries unless specifically authorized through the Seattle Surveillance Ordinance acquisition process; SPD has no department-approved FR system as of 2026.
Who is protected: Seattle residents and visitors
Who must comply: Seattle Police Department personnel
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Seattle, WA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2023-07-01 |
| Enacted | 2023-06-15 |
| Citation | Seattle Police Manual §12.045 (2023) |
| Enforced by | Seattle Office of Police Accountability; Office of Inspector General |
| Topics | facial recognition · police and surveillance AI · biometric data · consumer data privacy |
| Last verified | 2026-06-17 |
| Official source | SPD Manual Section 12.045 — Facial Recognition Technology ↗ |
More AI rules in Seattle, WA
- Seattle algorithmic rent-fixing ban (Ord. 127241 / SMC 7.34, July 2025) · In effect
- Seattle Generative AI Policy · In effect
- Seattle Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Seattle Public Schools AI Handbook + Superintendent Procedure 2022SP · In effect
- Seattle Surveillance Ordinance (SMC 14.18) · In effect
- Seattle Surveillance Ordinance · In effect
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
See something wrong or out of date? Submit a correction — every entry must carry a verifiable official source.