Worcester / Massachusetts FR Restriction (Ch. 253 of 2020, Police Reform)
Worcester, MA · Mass. Gen. Laws c. 6, secs. 219-220 (Ch. 253 of 2020)
Massachusetts police-reform law (Ch. 253 of 2020) limits municipal police departments — including Worcester — to facial recognition queries run only by RMV, MSP, or FBI via written request and supervisory approval.
Technical detail
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 6, secs. 219-220 (added by Ch. 253 of 2020) restrict municipal use of facial recognition to written, court-order-or-emergency-supported requests made to the RMV, Massachusetts State Police, or FBI; Worcester PD policy implements the statutory requirements with documented requests and annual reporting.
Who is protected: Worcester residents and Massachusetts residents
Who must comply: Worcester Police Department and all Massachusetts municipal police
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Worcester, MA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Moderate protection |
| Effective date | 2020-12-31 |
| Enacted | 2020-12-31 |
| Citation | Mass. Gen. Laws c. 6, secs. 219-220 (Ch. 253 of 2020) |
| Enforced by | Massachusetts POST Commission; Worcester PD Internal Affairs |
| Topics | facial recognition · biometric data · police and surveillance AI |
| Last verified | 2026-06-17 |
| Official source | Mass. Acts 2020, Ch. 253 — Police Reform Act (FR Restriction) ↗ |
More AI rules in Worcester, MA
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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