<body><div>Complete our Reader Survey for a chance to win a CTNewsJunkie mug on Nov. 11! ➔ ➔ ➔ TAP THIS RIBBON! Complete our Reader Survey for a chance to win a CTNewsJunkie mug on Nov. 11! ➔ ➔ ➔ TAP THIS RIBBON!<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1onhcY_1Gz2GsH400" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1onhcY_1Gz2GsH400" width="1200" height="900" ><figcaption>FILE PHOTO — Another CT town has voted to deactivate its Flock cameras. Credit: Viktoria Sundqvist / CT Newsjunkie</figcaption></figure>The Manchester Board of Directors voted this week for the town to stop using its 18 automatic license plate readers and to physically remove the stationary ones by the end of the year. At least three other Connecticut municipalities have already voted to end their contracts with Flock Safety, one of several companies that provide the automatic cameras to police departments and the software that runs them. A few other towns have limited use of the cameras or put their use on hold. About 70% of the state’s police departments use some form of stationary license-plate readers, according to Milford Police Chief Keith Mello, who serves as chairman for the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council. The cameras photograph the rear license plate of each vehicle that passes by and collect searchable data on the make and model of the vehicle, including information about bumper stickers but not images of the driver. The data can be shared with law enforcement agencies across the country, as well as federal agencies, but a recent Connecticut law limits how departments here can use, share and search the data. A new Connecticut law that took effect Oct. 1 says data can only be stored in the system for 21 days, unless there’s an active investigation involving a specific vehicle. Officials have discussed shortening that period to 7 days. The devices have come under scrutiny in the past year due to privacy concerns. Residents and representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union have spoken out against the cameras at meetings across the state, including in Milford and South Windsor. Law enforcement officials, however, have said the cameras are a crucial tool in helping solve crimes and finding missing people. And Flock Safety officials have insisted local departments own and control the data and who they share it with. In several other states across the country, there’s also been allegations of misuse by law enforcement officers. There’s also been instances where people’s vehicles have been flagged incorrectly in the system, leading to frightening encounters with law enforcement. In October, a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled that searches using AI-powered surveillance camera data like what Flock cameras collect may violate the Fourth Amendment unless the officers searching the system have a warrant. Manchester officials raised concerns about what they called “mass surveillance” of its residents as well as with the current contract with Flock Safety. It will be turning off, covering up and/or dismantling its 17 stationary cameras, stop using its mobile camera and ending its contract with Flock, officials said. Windsor, Killingworth and Ledyard ended their Flock contracts and turned off their cameras earlier this year after residents voiced similar concerns. East Lyme voted to pause use of the cameras and to review its Flock contract. Milford voted to turn off some but not all its cameras while a panel reviews the city’s camera use. The CT POST Council, which provides guidance to the state’s law enforcement agencies, has submitted its recommendations on automatic camera use to Gov. Ned Lamont at the governor’s request. Lamont has also asked municipalities across the state to hold off on installing any new cameras until policies can be put in place to guide their use. The state Department of Transportation has said it is reviewing the recommendations, and lawmakers are expected to discuss both ALPRs and updated speed camera legislation when they reconvene in January. </div></body>

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Flock Cameras Coming Down In Another CT Town

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Flock Cameras Coming Down In Another CT Town

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