Milford Adopts Comprehensive Privacy Protections While Preserving Public-Safety Technology

Summary of Action.

On August 27th, the Milford Board of Aldermen adopted significant new safeguards governing the City's use of automated license plate reader ("ALPR") technology, creating one of Connecticut's most comprehensive municipal frameworks for balancing personal privacy, public accountability and the responsible use of technology to protect the public. The Board's action followed extensive public discussion about ALPRs, data collection, retention and sharing, and the role of private technology companies. Rather than dismissing legitimate privacy concerns or abandoning technology that can assist law enforcement personnel in criminal investigations, the Board established strong boundaries around its use and a framework for evaluation of its effects. The resolutions related to the ALPRs were adopted with bipartisan support, including votes from all nine Democrats and one Republican. The Board also passed a moratorium on automated traffic enforcement safety devices ("ATESDs") throughout the City.

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Quotes from Board Leadership.

"I have dedicated my life to serving my country and community. I served during the Vietnam War as a Marine. I was a volunteer firefighter in Milford and have served as an elected official for decades. What we saw last Thursday was unacceptable and not the Milford I know. The heckling and the threats both during and after the meeting directed towards both members of the public and the Aldermen have been unlike anything the Board has faced during my tenure and it is unacceptable. It is important to have challenging conversations as a community but it is critical all stakeholders maintain a level of respect that was not displayed on Thursday night." said Board Chair Phil Vetro.

"Emotions are running high on an issue we need to take seriously as a community - how to use technology to keep our community safe while balancing the privacy concerns that have been appropriately raised. The Board of Aldermen voted to impose a moratorium on use of automated traffic enforcement safety devices and reduce fixed automated license plate readers so that they are deployed solely at points of entry into the City of Milford. We strengthened civilian oversight of police technology and increased the community involvement in how we manage such items in our City. We are proud of the work we did last week and look forward to the continued conversation with the larger community about the correct levels of technological deployment and oversight to keep our community safe," said Majority Leader Robert Pacelli.

●Deactivation of Traffic Enforcement Cameras. Automated red-light and speed enforcement cameras have been deactivated under a Board-imposed moratorium, pending further review of camera locations, operating hours, fines, appeals, and data retention practices.

●ALPR Network Reduced. Fixed automated license plate readers have been scaled back City-wide, with active units remaining solely at Milford's points of entry and reducing their presence in residential neighborhoods and other areas of the city.

●Requirement of Strong New Data Protections. New data protections including a seven-day maximum retention period with automatic deletion unless lawfully preserved for a specific investigation; restricted access with unique credentials and two-factor authentication; logged and audited searches; weekly audits by a designated ALPR Administrator; human verification of any match before police action; avoidance of sensitive locations such as places of worship, hospitals, and treatment clinics; and formal data-breach notification procedures are now implemented.

●Formation of Public Safety Technology Review Committee. The new committee will be composed of at least two Board members, one police representative, and three public members, all of whom are to be appointed by September 14, 2026. The committee's continuing mandate covers four tracks: a 60–90 day review of all third-party vendor contracts and costs; regional coordination with neighboring municipalities toward a shared standard; a 90-day investigation of alternative technology that retains data only on hotlist or active-investigation matches, including a formal inquiry to the State of Connecticut about a state-run or state-coordinated program; and ongoing semi-annual reporting to the Board on program operation, compliance, and effectiveness.

●Path Towards a Permanent Ordinance. The Board has directed that proposed legislation codifying these substantive protections be considered for addition into the Milford Code of Ordinances, along with a comprehensive review of program necessity, privacy, and security at least once every three years.