Fairfield Police Respond To ACLU’s ICE Claims

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Fairfield Police Department is responding to allegations made by the American Civil Liberties Union that they are among the eight Connecticut law enforcement agencies accused of providing resident information to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through an automated license plate detector database that tracks people's daily movements.

The information was obtained by the ACLU of Northern California. In addition to Fairfield, the Westport, Enfield, Wethersfield, Stratford, Trumbull, Norwalk and Southern Connecticut State University police departments are named in the report.

Fairfield Police said the report contains “false and misleading information.”

“The Fairfield Police Department currently uses License Plate Reader (LPR) technology which data is managed and stored by Vigilant Solutions,” police said in a news release. “These devices have served hundreds of police agencies across the U.S., including Fairfield, to ensure the safety and security of our citizens. To be clear - LPR’s do not collect or store the name, address or immigration status of individuals.

“Although all police agencies share and collaborate investigative information to protect the people of their respective jurisdictions and the security of our country, the Fairfield Police Department is confident that Vigilant Solutions meets FBI-CJIS compliance as it relates to the security of information that is shared between its partner agencies.”

The Fairfield Police Department “takes privacy rights very seriously and continually seeks to find a balance between ensuring people’s Constitutional rights, and the use of technology to solve crimes and maintain the security of our community,” according to the news release.

“We have worked tirelessly to build strong relationships with community members of all cultures in Fairfield,” First Selectman Michael Tetreau said. “The Town and the Police Department will continue to protect and serve the people of Fairfield and to protect the privacy rights of all individuals.”