Police across Connecticut are coming out in support of towns and cities utilizing speed and safety cameras in their communities.
However, after a growing number of state residents have expressed concerns over privacy due to the cameras, police are now scrambling to figure out additional privacy protections they can implement especially for cameras made by Flock Safety.
The surveillance hardware manufacturer makes automatic license plate readers (APLR), drones and speed cameras, among other items.
Town of Groton Police Chief LJ Fusaro said they’re figuring out how to prevent local law enforcement from abusing those cameras for personal use. Some officers in other states have been accused of using the camera data to stalk women.
“One of the things that we have to do, and I know Chief (Paul) Melanson is working on it policy-wise, is to make sure that we govern that; that we don't have officers or people out there misusing the systems,” Fusaro said.
Flock has attracted sustained criticism over privacy concerns in recent months. The company has received public backlash for past sharing of data with federal law enforcement, and alleged abuses by local law enforcement in other states.
Farmington Police Chief, Paul Melanson, praised the cameras. Melanson said the cameras helped solve three murders in town. But Melanson acknowledged the tension the cameras have caused when it comes to public safety and privacy.
Flock now requires police officers using its system to affirm they are not using the cameras to help federal law enforcement carry out actions over immigration enforcement, gender affirming care, and reproductive rights. Dan Haley, Flock Safety’s chief legal officer, said the company uses an automated system to flag data searches by law enforcement it deems suspicious.
Melanson is encouraging police officers to abide by the rules.
“I could tell you as we do this, and that was the reason for today's meeting, which all the chiefs of police was to inform them of these changes and to suggest that they start to adjust their settings now and reaffirm them, but I can tell you that in Connecticut, we don't want to live in silos, right,” Melanson said. “And after 9/11, criminals don't have boundaries.”
Melanson and Fusaro, spoke at a police training facility in Milford Tuesday, days after Gov. Ned Lamont urged municipalities statewide to pause installing automated traffic enforcement and safety camera programs, as public opposition mounts.
Lamont called on the Connecticut Police Officers Standards and Training Council (POST), to review and develop guidance regarding camera privacy concerns within 30 days and called on municipal leaders to stop installing additional cameras.
“I am in agreement with the many residents across Connecticut who are seeing this technology being implemented by their towns and are wondering what types of privacy protections are being implemented for ordinary people who are just going about their lives,” Lamont said in a statement.
Lamont’s comments come as various towns and cities across Connecticut received mixed reaction from residents after rolling out automated safety cameras.
Dan Haley, who is chief legal officer for Flock Safety, said Flock takes privacy concerns seriously, and characterized concerns over mass surveillance as misinformation.
“People have this notion that there's this database out there and there are people sitting there watching people's movements,” Haley said. That's simply not the case. It's not how the system is designed. It's not how the system has worked. It's not the value proposition of the system.”
Haley said local police departments could opt in to what he referred to nationwide sharing.
But Connecticut’s state law regarding ALPR use, prohibits data sharing with federal officials, especially regarding immigration enforcement, reproductive health, or gender affirming care. The rule only applies unless federal law enforcement has a warrant to access data.
A new state law prohibits nationwide data sharing on and after Oct.1.
Republican State Sen. Ryan Fazio, who is running for governor, does not support Flock Safety cameras. Fazio believes the cameras limit the ability of police to do their jobs.
“This governor took away that ability. That’s why you see the state turning to cameras and monitoring and an Orwellian system of invading people’s privacy,” Fazio said in a campaign ad.
Police in Greenwich, Fairfield, and Bridgeport, have said using automated speed enforcement cameras and/or drones made by Flock, would help cut down on speeding and solve crimes.
Anthony Afriye, who is chair of the Stratford Town Council, said he welcomed Lamont’s call to pause installing additional cameras. Afriye said he wasn’t surprised the cameras would attract negative attention.
Afriye said Stratford has automated speed enforcement cameras but doesn’t use Flock Safety cameras. He said he’s waiting on more guidance from the state and says the program could be adjusted accordingly.
“We're going to be able to go in and just workshop it, so it becomes seamless and effortless, and people feel like they're not having to jeopardize their own privacy rights while also getting the benefit of safety,” Afriye said.
