Connecticut Governor urges pause on new license plate reader cameras

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has urged municipalities across the state to immediately pause the installation of new safety cameras and automatic license plate readers (ALPR), such as Flock cameras. The directive follows growing public concern regarding privacy and the potential misuse of surveillance data.

State Senators Bob Duff and James Maroney have also called for a pause, citing resident anxiety over being monitored. Concerns have been raised regarding how data is shared with out-of-state authorities, including law enforcement in Georgia, Florida, and Texas. There are specific fears that the data could be used for immigration enforcement or to track individuals seeking reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare.

In response to the governor's request, West Hartford officials confirmed they will follow the directive and pause new installations for 30 days. Legislators are considering new laws to restrict how this data is used, aiming to prevent monitoring based on race, sex, or protected medical activities.