Milford moves forward with 'citizen review' of Flock cameras

Our Take

Credit to WFSB 3 for sticking around a town meeting that dragged past 11 p.m. to cover a story most outlets would skip: Milford, Connecticut deciding to let residents 'review' its Flock Safety ALPR system. That a late-night alderman meeting became the venue for this debate tells you something — officials know these cameras are controversial, and they'd rather hash it out after most people have gone to bed than in prime time.

'Citizen review' can mean almost anything. It can mean a real audit with subpoena power, public data logs, and the ability to recommend killing the contract. Or it can mean a toothless advisory committee that meets twice, gets a PowerPoint from the vendor, and quietly signs off. Milford residents pushing for oversight should demand the former in writing — access to search logs, retention policies, and any data-sharing agreements with other agencies, not just a tour of the server room.

This is the pattern playing out in towns across the country: a city council or vendor signs the contract first, and public scrutiny only shows up afterward, structured on the town's terms rather than the public's. If you want to see whether your own community already has Flock cameras installed — and where — check our map. And if Milford's fight for real oversight resonates, our take-action page has tools for pushing your local government toward actual transparency instead of a late-night rubber stamp.