Statewide guidelines have been released for law enforcement’s use of facial recognition technology in active investigations. The policy is consistent with legislation supported by the Maryland Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs’ Associations.

Legislation passed in 2024 – SB 182 – authorized the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center in cooperation with the Maryland Department of State Police to create a model policy for statewide use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by law enforcement agencies. The new policy is expected to provide guidelines on how and when FRT can be used. The aims of the policy are to balance effective law enforcement with the need to protect individual rights.

In a Baltimore Sun article, primary sponsor, Senator Charles Sydnor, shared that the policy is meant to set a minimum standard for law enforcement use but that individual agencies are able to be more restrictive if they choose. For instance, the existing Montgomery County Police Department has some guardrails in current policies that are more restrictive than the bill prescribes. There was also broad support for the bill from the Maryland Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Association, who originally supported the legislation with a few amendments to give local law enforcement agencies more flexibility. Before final passage, they testified in support of the new bill draft that ultimately went on to the Governor’s desk.

Read the full FRT policy for state and local law enforcement.