Simsbury To Address License Plate Reader Cameras, Privacy Concerns

SIMSBURY, CT — Simsbury residents will have an opportunity Monday, Sept. 28, to hear from Simsbury Police Chief Nicholas J. Boulter about the town's use of automated license plate reader cameras, including their public safety applications and privacy safeguards.

Simsbury First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis said Boulter will make a presentation during the Simsbury Board of Selectmen meeting Monday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. at the Simsbury Public Library, 725 Hopmeadow St.

The discussion comes as Simsbury uses six stationary automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, at four intersections powered by Flock Safety, according to a town summary prepared by Boulter.

Two additional installations are pending.

The cameras are positioned on primary public roads, near major intersections and at or near municipal borders.

Simsbury police also use mobile ALPR technology incorporated into AXON dashboard cameras in marked cruisers, which the town says operate under the same policies and security protocols.

According to Boulter's summary, the technology is intended to help police locate missing or endangered people, investigate crimes through database searches, prevent crime, and receive real-time alerts associated with stolen vehicles, missing or endangered people, and other criminal activity.

The town claims the cameras are not used as an automated traffic enforcement system to issue speeding tickets, running red lights, or other traffic violations.

Police action is also not based solely on an automated image, according to the policy summary.

Authorized police personnel can search captured vehicle images using criteria including location, date, time, license plate, vehicle make, model and color, as well as identifying features such as bike racks or other equipment.

Police personnel conducting searches must provide a specific reason or offense, an official case number connected with an active investigation, and the relevant time and location parameters.

The town says several privacy protections are built into the system.

The cameras capture still images rather than video and do not use facial recognition.

According to the town's summary, the ALPR system does not contain names, addresses, or vehicle-owner identities and does not track individual vehicle or person movements.

Access requires individual user accounts and multi-factor authentication.

A department commander conducts quarterly audits, and query logs are maintained as a permanent audit trail.

Images are currently retained for 30 days, but the retention period will decrease to 21 days beginning Oct. 1, according to the town.

The town says its ALPR program operates under Connecticut law, Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council policy and local policies governing privacy and use of the technology.

Use and funding of the system were reviewed in public meetings by the Simsbury Police Commission, board of selectmen and board of finance, according to Boulter's summary.

The town also makes policy, usage information and other transparency data available through the Simsbury Police Department website and its Transparency Portal.

Mackstutis said Monday's meeting is intended to give residents a chance to hear about both the public safety benefits and potential drawbacks of the technology.

"I hope to hear from supporters of these tools, along with people sharing their fact-based concerns," Mackstutis wrote Thursday.

The police commission has also been invited to attend and hear comments.

Under selectmen rules, comments will be limited to Simsbury residents and taxpayers, Mackstutis said.

Those wishing to speak will be asked to provide their names and addresses on a sign-up sheet at the door.

Speakers are generally allowed up to five minutes, although comments could be reduced to three minutes depending on turnout.

Mackstutis said no action on the ALPR system is planned at the meeting, and the public audience will not include a question-and-answer session.

The board of selectmen may, however, direct questions raised by residents to Boulter if they are not addressed during his presentation.

For the Town of Simsbury's ALPR policy, click on this link.