South Windsor Orders Flock Safety Cameras Removed Within 60 Days

The South Windsor Town Council voted on October 12 to direct the police department to stop using Flock Safety's automated license plate readers immediately and to arrange for their removal within 60 days, the Hartford Business Journal reported.

The vote split along party lines, with the council's six Democrats in favor and three Republicans opposed. South Windsor is at least the sixth Connecticut municipality to end or suspend use of the readers in 2026, after Windsor, Killingworth, Ledyard, Milford and Newtown. Milford's Board of Aldermen voted the same night to pause its program pending review by a technology committee.

Police Chief Kristian R. Lindstrom signed a memorandum of understanding with Flock in March 2023 and briefed the council in executive session that November without a public vote. The department leased six cameras for $19,400 and later added two, covering four locations. They went live in April 2025.

Three-quarters of Connecticut law enforcement agencies report operating a combined 1,564 fixed readers, with Flock supplying about 40%. Gov. Ned Lamont on August 7 asked municipalities to pause new installations and requested standards from the Police Officers Standards and Training Council, which issued a 59-page report recommending a seven-day data retention limit and monthly audits. Flock declined to comment.

This story was first reported by Hartford Business Journal.