Senate Democrats Call For Moratorium On Flock Cameras In Connecticut
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and Sen. James Maroney called for a pause on new Flock Safety camera installations in Connecticut towns, citing privacy risks and potential misuse
The senators asked state public safety officials to survey how many Flock cameras exist statewide and where they’re located, and said they plan to introduce legislation in 2027 to tighten rules on the technology
Recent reporting has found police officers in multiple states misused license plate data to track exes, arrest people for conduct that’s legal elsewhere, and other cases of unauthorized surveillance
Connecticut Senate Democratic leaders called for a moratorium on Flock Safety cameras, automated license plate readers used to track vehicle movement throughout Connecticut and the United States, citing privacy risks and concerns about how the data is shared.
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and Senator James Maroney recently called for Connecticut cities and towns to pause installation of all new automated license plate readers and Flock cameras. They intend to introduce legislation in 2027 to tighten regulations on how the cameras can be used.
In addition, the Senators asked the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to survey Connecticut municipalities and get accurate readings of the number and locations of Flock cameras in the state.
“Flock cameras track the movements of ordinary people going about their lives, and that kind of surveillance carries real dangers,” said Senator Duff. “Town after town is saying they don’t want a permanent record of every car that drives down their streets. We’re calling for a pause because residents deserve real answers about who is watching them and why before a single new camera goes up.”
Connecticut passed legislation in 2026 to limit use of state residents’ data collected by Flock cameras, excluding its use for immigration enforcement, prosecution of people seeking health care in Connecticut and monitoring people based on characteristics like sex and race, according to the Hartford Courant. That law also requires data to be deleted after three weeks.
While law enforcement officers have defended Flock cameras, citing improved ability to track potential criminals and respond to criminal incidents, the cameras have also drawn significant ire from potential misuse.
In August so far, ABC News reported a former North Carolina police officer used Flock cameras to track her boyfriend’s ex-wife, while Gizmodo reported police in Wisconsin used Flock cameras to track a man who drove from Wisconsin to Michigan and back to purchase cannabis. As cannabis is legal to possess and buy in Michigan and illegal in Wisconsin, they arrested the man.
The Washington Post reported recently that at least 50 police officers nationwide have been charged with or accused of unauthorized use of license plate readers, including stalking people.
“This is invasive technology, and people are right to be concerned about it,” said Senator Maroney. “When we see towns rejecting these cameras and questioning whether they need this kind of surveillance at all, that tells us the public is ahead of the law. We intend to keep it that way by strengthening these protections in 2027.”
In Connecticut, researchers believe officers from across the country including Georgia, Florida and Texas have accessed data collected in Connecticut, raising concerns about whether Flock cameras will be used to track or arrest individuals coming to Connecticut from states outlawing abortion or gender-affirming care, the Courant noted.
The CEO of Flock, Garrett Langley, recently admitted to The Drive, an automotive publication, that Flock abuse “is a problem,” adding that “any level of abuse is unacceptable.”
By Joe O’Leary