Norfolk, VA Privacy & Surveillance: Security Camera Rules (2026)

Sec. 1 lets Norfolk erect public surveillance cameras on city property, but only inside a designated Project Focus Neighborhood and only after a defined process. A resident or residents of that neighborhood, or the chief of police, must first petition for the cameras. The director, who is the city manager acting in her capacity as director of public safety under Sec. 1, must then hold a community meeting with neighborhood residents before drafting a formal written installation plan that includes fact findings on the need for cameras and the proposed locations.

After the meeting, the director schedules and holds a public hearing on the plan, with advance public notice, and the city council may adopt the plan by formal resolution any time after the hearing. Once installed, the chief of police, under the director's guidance, is solely responsible for operating the cameras. The section builds in privacy protections: cameras must be visible to the public and accompanied by signage disclosing the surveillance, cannot be used to observe people in circumstances carrying a reasonable expectation of privacy, cannot capture private conversations even if technically capable, and cannot be pointed at private property where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists.

Recorded images cannot be used for advertising or trade without the subject's written consent under Va. 01-40. The director, working with the chief of police, must also adopt written policies to protect these rights and to address any improper use by officers or employees.