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Detroit, MI Privacy & Surveillance: Security Camera Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing law
Detroit City Code § 17-5-451 et seq.
Applies to
City departments, incl. Police
Requires
Council-approved report + public hearing
Private residential cameras
Not regulated by this ordinance
Enacted
Ord. No. 2021-17, eff. 6-14-2021

Summary

Detroit requires City Council approval before any city department, including police, buys or installs surveillance cameras, license-plate readers, or similar tech: private home cameras aren't covered.

No City department may engage in a surveillance technology procurement until: (1) The City department has provided the City Council with a Surveillance Technology Specification Report as described in Section 17-5-453 of this Code; ... and (3) The City Council has voted to approve the surveillance technology procurement.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).

Full Breakdown

Under Detroit City Code Ch. 17, Art. V, Div. 12, no City department may acquire or deploy surveillance technology, a defined list that includes closed-circuit TV cameras, wide-angle surveillance cameras, and automatic license plate readers, without first publishing a Surveillance Technology Specification Report, holding public hearings, and getting a City Council vote to approve the procurement. Interior building-security cameras and body-worn cameras are excluded. The rule targets government camera networks, such as police-linked CCTV, not cameras homeowners install on their own property.

Violations & Fines

It is unlawful for a City department to acquire or use surveillance technology, including cameras, without Council-approved authorization; violating employees face disciplinary action under Sec. 17-5-459.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this ordinance regulate cameras I put up at my own house?
No. It only covers surveillance technology that City departments, including the Police Department, acquire or deploy, not privately owned residential security cameras.
Can Detroit Police add new camera networks without City Council sign-off?
No. Sec. 17-5-452 requires a public Specification Report and a City Council vote before any department can procure new surveillance cameras, with narrow exigent-circumstance exceptions.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Detroit

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All Detroit rules

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