Some Connecticut towns opting to turn off automated license plate reader cameras amid privacy concer

Our Take

Credit to WTNH News8 for flagging something we don't see often enough: local officials actually listening and hitting the off switch. When towns install Flock Safety cameras, it's usually framed as a done deal — a tool for catching stolen cars, nothing more. The fact that Connecticut communities are reconsidering, even temporarily, shows that public pushback works when people show up and ask hard questions about who's watching, who's storing the data, and for how long.

These systems don't just scan for stolen cars. They log every plate that passes, building a searchable record of where you drive, when, and how often — all without a warrant. That data can sit in a database for months, get shared across agencies and states, or end up in the hands of companies and officials with no obligation to tell you it happened. 'Turn it off' shouldn't be the exception; it should be the baseline question every town council asks before signing a Flock contract in the first place.

If your town has cameras like these — or is about to vote on installing them — now's the time to find out. Check our camera map to see what's already watching your streets, and head to our take-action page for tools to push your local officials toward the same kind of scrutiny Connecticut residents just won.