Connecticut’s police standards advisory council approved guidelines to help cities and towns implement new state restrictions on Flock cameras on Thursday.
The recommendations include retaining data collected by automatic license plate readers for seven days, down from 21 days, said Milford Police Chief Keith Mello, chair of the Connecticut Police Officers Standards and Training Council.
They also call for tracking every query to see whether there’s abuse.
“We want to make sure that we are not giving out data that somebody can use to find somebody else or to try to track somebody,” Mello said. “The very thing that folks are so concerned about with police is also a concern, and maybe even more so, with private individuals.”
Detailed monthly audits and local oversight are also recommended.
The law responds to privacy concerns from state residents.
“My gut feeling is the only way you can align with the public is to turn the damn things off,” Eric Weiner of Windsor told the council.
He appreciates the new law and the guidelines, but he said the cameras should be banned.
The new law on the cameras takes effect on Oct 1st. The guidelines should be fully implemented by December.
