Anchorage, AK Privacy & Surveillance: Facial Recognition Ban (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- AMC § 3.102.020
- Adopted
- AO No. 2023-35(S-1), 4-18-2023
- Real-time surveillance use
- Unlawful, no exceptions
- Private right of action
- Yes, civil damages available
- Warrant affidavits
- Facial recognition evidence barred
Summary
Anchorage makes it unlawful for the municipality or any municipal staff, including police, to use facial recognition technology with real-time surveillance, or to obtain, retain, request, access, or use it at all, subject to narrow listed exceptions.
A. The use facial recognition technology in conjunction with or, as component of, any real-time surveillance or surveillance technology by the municipality or any municipal staff shall be unlawful.
B. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter except for the exceptions provided in section 3.102.030, it shall be unlawful for the municipality or any municipal staff to obtain, retain, request, access, or use:
1. Facial recognition technology; or 2. Information obtained from facial recognition technology.
C. Municipal staff's inadvertent or unintentional receipt, access of, or use of any information obtained from facial recognition technology shall not be a violation of this section, provided that:
1. Municipal staff did not request or solicit the receipt, access of, or use of such information; and 2. Municipal staff logs such receipt, access, or use in its Annual Surveillance Report as referenced by section 3.102.040. Such report shall not include any personally identifiable information or other information the release of which is prohibited by law.
D. Any evidence or information obtained through facial recognition technology, regardless of whether it was obtained lawfully, shall not be included in an affidavit to establish probable cause for purposes of issuance of a search warrant or an arrest warrant.
E. Exceptions.
1. Nothing in this chapter shall prevent the municipality from:
a.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5010260; v11 updated 2026-09-01).
Full Breakdown
AMC § 3.102.020 flatly bars the Municipality of Anchorage and any municipal staff from using facial recognition technology in conjunction with real-time surveillance, and separately bars obtaining, retaining, requesting, accessing, or using facial recognition technology or facial-recognition-derived information at all. Narrow exceptions cover personal devices, off-the-shelf bundled features the municipality doesn't intentionally use, evidentiary custody, redaction software, missing-child search compliance, and multi-agency investigations of trafficking, exploitation, or human remains. Any facial recognition evidence is barred from search or arrest warrant affidavits, and unauthorized use must be logged in an Annual Surveillance Report.
Violations & Fines
Employees face discipline up to termination under municipal policy; the municipality can also be sued in Superior Court for injunctive relief, declaratory relief, damages, and attorney's fees under AMC § 3.102.050.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Anchorage Police Department use facial recognition?
Can facial recognition evidence support a warrant in Anchorage?
Are there any exceptions to Anchorage's facial recognition ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anchorage
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