17 License Plate Readers Now In Place In Various Spots In Glastonbury

GLASTONBURY, CT — Glastonbury police now have 17 Automated License Plate Readers set up in various locations in town.

Glastonbury Police Department spokesman Lt. Kevin Szydlo said the plate readers tend of be located on the busier traffic areas like the north end of town, on roads like Main Street and Glastonbury Boulevard and at the highway exchanges.

GPD Chief Marshall Porter said the decision to begin using the plate readers was made in 2022 in response to "public and police concerns" over an increase in stolen motor vehicles and related crimes. Before funding the program, town officials hosted an informational meeting so the public could offer comments. Funding for the cameras was then approved through the yearly budget process, the chief said.

"ALPRs are now commonplace throughout the state and country, playing an important role in improving public safety and police effectiveness. They are integral in helping police solve crime, and they save valuable personnel hours. Glastonbury Police frequently utilize other agencies' ALPR technology in their investigations," Porter said.

The plate readers feature "high-speed cameras and sophisticated technology" to identify registration plates, vehicle makes, models, colors and styles, Porter said. The information is automatically compared against a "customized list of values that are of significance to law enforcement," like missing persons, Amber Alerts and stolen vehicles, as well as "others reasonably believed to be involved in outstanding law enforcement actions or investigations," Porter said.

It's not an attempt to bully the public, the chief added.

"The Glastonbury Police Department takes privacy concerns seriously. LPRs do not collect personal identifying information. Only a photo of the registration, vehicle, date, time, and location will be collected," he said. "Officers who are conducting a criminal investigation would need to access additional information through a separate law enforcement database. Data will only be retained for 30 days (unless necessary for an investigation), after which it will be deleted. ALPR data will not be shared with agencies in support of administrative and criminal law enforcement missions related to immigration matters."

The GPD's policy on ALPRs can be found on the department website under General Orders.