State Rep. MJ Shannon (D-117) on Aug. 26 joined his fellow Democratic candidates for Milford legislative districts Toni Lombardi and Alex Armstrong in opposition to Flock Safety cameras and other privately operated automated license plate readers and similar mass-surveillance camera systems and announced their intention to introduce legislation to prohibit the technology statewide.
The three Milford candidates said they have significant concerns and have heard directly from residents regarding contracts, the scope of the technology and questions about how information collected on members of the public can be stored, accessed and shared.
They also recognized the work already being done by members of Connecticut’s General Assembly and called for greater scrutiny, stronger safeguards and a pause on the expansion of Flock technology while the state determines the appropriate path forward.
Shannon is running for reelection in November. Lombardi is running to replace retiring Democratic state Rep. Frank Smith in the 118th District, while Armstrong is running in the 119th, hoping to unseat Republican state Rep. Kathy Kennedy.
The three said they believe Connecticut should prohibit Flock and similar privately operated ALPR surveillance networks statewide, and they intend to introduce legislation to do so in 2027.
“Public safety and personal privacy are not opposing values, and we should reject the idea that we have to sacrifice one to protect the other,” Shannon said. “I strongly support our law enforcement officers and making sure they have the technology, staffing and resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. But those tools must come with accountability and clear protections for the people they serve. I support an immediate pause, and I believe Connecticut should ultimately ban Flock and similar privately operated surveillance systems while investing in public safety technology that keeps sensitive data under public control.”
“I will always support giving our police the resources they need to solve crimes, protect themselves, and keep our communities safe. My issue is not with our officers using technology. My issue is with putting a private company between our police and the people they serve,” Lombardi said. “We should be investing in law enforcement and in technology that our municipalities can own, control and be accountable for. We do not need a privately operated network tracking the movements of everyday people to keep our communities safe. I support the pause now, and I support banning Flock and similar privately operated ALPR systems statewide. We can back our police and protect our privacy at the same time.”
“People have been raising legitimate concerns about this technology, and government has a responsibility to listen,” Armstrong said. “There have already been too many instances of Connecticut residents’ data being accessed inappropriately by out-of-state agencies, and too many people have had their privacy invaded. Residents deserve to know what information is being collected about them, who can access it, how long it is kept and where it can go. I support an immediate pause and ultimately a statewide ban on Flock and similar privately operated surveillance systems.”
The three candidates said the fundamental issue extends beyond how any individual police department uses the data collected today. Their concern is the development of a broader privately operated surveillance infrastructure capable of collecting and retaining information about the movements of people who are not suspected of committing any crime.
They said they support providing police departments with modern and effective investigative tools and believe Connecticut should continue investing in the staffing, training, technology and resources law enforcement needs to keep communities safe.
The candidates emphasized that their position is that public safety infrastructure must also remain accountable to the public, with strong limits on what information is collected, how long it is retained, who can access it and how it can be shared. Where technology requires the collection of sensitive information for legitimate law enforcement purposes, they believe Connecticut should prioritize systems owned or controlled by municipalities and law enforcement agencies rather than creating statewide dependence on privately operated surveillance networks.
Following the November election, Shannon, Lombardi and Armstrong said they intend to introduce legislation during the 2027 legislative session to ban Flock and similar privately operated ALPR surveillance systems in Connecticut while continuing to support responsible, publicly accountable law enforcement technology.
“We represent three districts, but we are one Milford, and on this issue we stand together,” they said in a joint statement. “We can support law enforcement, embrace responsible technology and protect the constitutional rights and privacy of Connecticut residents at the same time. We do not believe privately operated surveillance networks strike that balance, and we are prepared to take that case to the legislature and act.”