MA Police Reform FR Restriction (Worcester)
Worcester / Massachusetts FR Restriction (Ch. 253 of 2020, Police Reform)
Worcester, MA · Mass. Gen. Laws c. 6, secs. 219-220 (Ch. 253 of 2020)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- December 31, 2020
- Applies to
- Worcester Police Department and all Massachusetts municipal police
- Enforced by
- Massachusetts POST Commission; Worcester PD Internal Affairs
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.
Who is protected: Worcester residents and Massachusetts residents
Legal 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.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Worcester, MA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | December 31, 2020 |
| Citation | Mass. Gen. Laws c. 6, secs. 219-220 (Ch. 253 of 2020) |
| Topics | facial recognition · biometric data · police and surveillance AI |
| Statute | 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
- Bristol VA PD facial recognition program (first VA local agency) · In effect
- Dallas PD Clearview AI facial recognition policy · 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
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