South Windsor Flock Camera Debate Heads To Town Council Tonight

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — South Windsor’s use of automated license plate reader cameras is expected to draw debate at Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting as residents press officials for more information about how the technology is used and who can access the data it collects.

The regular council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Town Council Chambers at Town Hall, 1540 Sullivan Ave.

The South Windsor Democratic Town Committee is encouraging residents to attend and speak during public comment. Committee Chair Anitha Elango said questions remain about the program’s privacy protections, data collection and transparency.

“The more I learn about Flock cameras, the more concerns I have,” Elango said. “That’s why I encourage the public to attend this meeting, ask questions and get answers from municipal leaders.”

South Windsor approved the system in November 2023 and began operating the cameras in 2025. The cameras read license plates and other identifying features of passing vehicles. Police can receive alerts when the system detects a vehicle connected to an investigation.

Police Chief Kristian Lindstrom presented a report on the program to the council in April. He said the cameras had been used successfully about 70 times during their first 11 months.

According to the town’s meeting minutes, those uses included recovering 12 stolen vehicles, seizing five weapons, apprehending three family-violence suspects, investigating three armed robberies, locating two missing people and intercepting seven people who were suicidal.

Lindstrom said South Windsor limits data sharing to Connecticut law enforcement agencies and does not use the system for immigration enforcement or investigations involving reproductive rights.

Residents have questioned those safeguards, along with the town’s decision not to participate in Flock’s public transparency portal. Other concerns raised during council meetings have included data sharing, the company’s relationship with Palantir and the ability to track a vehicle as it passes multiple cameras.

The debate has already prompted action elsewhere in Connecticut.

In February, the Windsor Town Council voted 8-1 to turn off its 16 Flock cameras while officials reviewed the town’s contract and privacy protections. The council later voted 5-4 against reactivating the system or renewing the contract.

State lawmakers have also called on municipalities to pause further expansion. Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and state Sen. James Maroney said in August that they plan to seek stronger statewide privacy protections during the 2027 legislative session.

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