Privacy & Surveillance in Davis, CA (2026)
2 verified privacy & surveillance rules for Davis, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Facial Recognition Ban
Davis has not banned facial recognition software outright, but the Surveillance Technology Ordinance lists it as a regulated technology and requires city council approval at a public hearing before any city department, including police, can acquire or newly deploy it for a new purpose or location.
Davis Facial Recognition Tech Rules
Significant RestrictionsDavis, CA, Municipal Code §§ 26.07.020, 26.07.030 (Surveillance Technology Ordinance)
Examples of surveillance technology, includes, but is not limited to, the following: cell site simulators (Stingrays); automatic license plate readers; gunshot detectors (ShotSpotter); facial recognition software; gait analysis software; video cameras that record audio or video and can transmit or be remotely accessed. ... A city department shall obtain city council approval following a public ...
License Plate Readers
Davis requires city council approval at a public hearing before any city department, including police, can acquire or newly deploy automatic license plate readers under the Surveillance Technology Ordinance. A separate city ordinance also bars using city resources to send ALPR data, including license plate numbers, to immigration authorities without a court order.
Davis License Plate Reader Rules
Significant RestrictionsDavis, CA, Municipal Code § 10.06.020(e) (Interaction with Immigration Authorities); §§ 26.07.020, 26.07.030 (Surveillance Technology Ordinance)
No city department, agency, commission, officer, agent, representative, or employee may use city resources, including, but not limited to, equipment, tools, facilities, property, personnel, time, labor, or funds to: ... Communicate with immigration authorities regarding an individual's identity, including ... an individual's name, social security number, tax identification number, driver's lice...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Davis city rules.
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