Connecticut Lawmakers Call for Pause on Flock Surveillance Cameras

Connecticut Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and Senate Deputy Majority Leader James Maroney are calling for a pause on the installation of new automated license plate readers, specifically Flock Safety cameras. The lawmakers plan to introduce legislation in 2027 to tighten regulations and strengthen privacy protections after reports emerged that Connecticut vehicle data was accessed by authorities in Georgia, Florida, and Texas for immigration enforcement.

Local opposition has intensified across the state. The towns of Windsor and Killingworth have already discontinued their use of Flock services, citing a lack of data-access assurances from the vendor. In Milford, officials voted to consider a moratorium on the technology following a town meeting where over 100 residents protested. Milford Police Chief Keith Mello defended the cameras as a necessary tool to compensate for staffing shortages and provide critical information for crime investigations.

To address the lack of transparency, the Government of Connecticut will conduct a survey in 2027 to determine the total number and location of these cameras across all municipalities. While a law taking effect October 1 limits data sharing and mandates deletion after 21 days, state leaders argue these measures are insufficient to protect residents from invasive surveillance.