Purpose and Intent
San Diego Municipal Code § 210.0101
in effect§210.0101 Purpose and Intent
The Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology (“TRUST”) Ordinance requires an informed public and transparent discussion related to the City’s acquisition and use of surveillance technology, as defined by this Division. The City Council finds that while surveillance technology is critical to managing and providing City services and protecting public safety, it can also be used to infringe upon the civil rights and civil liberties of members of the public. The City Council intends to balance these interests by determining through a public process that (1) the benefits to the community of the City’s acquisition and use of the surveillance technology outweigh the costs, (2) the proposed use of the surveillance technology will safeguard civil rights and civil liberties, and (3) based on the facts and information presented to the City Council, there is no effective alternative to the proposed surveillance technology that provides a lesser financial cost to the City and impact on civil rights or civil liberties. If the City Council determines that the proposed use of the surveillance technology meets the standard set forth in this Division, then the City Council may authorize the use of the surveillance technology by adopting a legally enforceable Surveillance Use Policy.
(“Purpose and Intent” added 2-14-2024 by O-21762 N.S.; effective 3-15-2024. Former Section 210.0101 “Definitions” amended and renumbered to Section 210.0102.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter02/Ch02Art10Division01.pdf#page=1Fetched: 10/28/2026