# Austin Reviews Citywide Surveillance Systems

The City of Austin is reviewing 79 surveillance systems and tools used across 21 city departments under the TRUST Act, including departments outside public safety. Systems found to pose more than minimal risk to civil liberties or privacy rights will require a Surveillance Use Policy, and privacy impact statements are expected near the end of December 2026 or early January 2027. Although no solicitation or contract value is identified, the review may affect how Austin evaluates existing and future surveillance technology, including data collection, retention, identification capabilities, and third-party system connections.

- Suppliers serving Austin should be prepared to address how their systems collect, retain, use, and share data, since these issues are identified as areas of scrutiny.
- The policy requirement applies to systems assessed as posing more than minimal risk; contractors should distinguish those requirements from the broader review of all 79 tools.
- The anticipated privacy impact statements in late December 2026 or early January 2027 may clarify the city’s assessments and inform future procurement or system-use decisions.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Information Technology, Public Safety
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** November 13, 2026

### Government Entities
- City of Austin
- Austin Police Department (APD)
- Austin Fire Department
- Austin City Council

### Vendors
- Axon ()
- Flock Safety ()

### Sources
- [Austin’s surveillance use includes dozens of tools used by departments not directly involved in public safety | KXAN Austin](https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-surveillance-tech-use) - KXAN Austin