Milford Residents Demand ‘Shut It All Down’ as Flock Camera Debate Reaches Boiling Point

Milford has become one of Connecticut’s most vocal battlegrounds in the fight over Flock Safety license plate readers — the AI-powered cameras that log every vehicle passing by, storing data on make, model, color, and plate number for 30 days.

More than 100 residents showed up to a public forum at Parsons Auditorium to confront Milford Police Chief Keith Mello directly, with many calling for the cameras to come down entirely. The crowd cut across party lines. Democrats and Republicans stood side by side at the microphone, united by a shared concern: that no one voted on this, no one really explained it, and no one has clearly answered who’s watching the data — and why.

What Milford Has Installed

Milford currently operates more than 90 cameras across the city — 33 of them are Flock automated license plate readers (ALPRs), with the rest being red light and speed cameras. The system costs roughly $150,000 per year. It was financed through a $550,000 bond approved by the Board of Aldermen in 2024, when Chief Mello first presented the idea as part of a 100-page Strategic Plan for the city.

Resident Tracy Ambrosecchio, a member of the DeFlock Milford group, said she first noticed a Flock camera appearing at the end of her street with no explanation. “It’s a very cut-through side street, so for it to just pop up like that was very concerning,” she said. When she tried to follow the money trail through public records, she hit walls. “You would think that surveillance to this degree would have transparency and a very easy money trail — but that wasn’t the case.”

“This Has Nothing to Do With Safety”

The public meetings have drawn some of the most heated public comment Milford has seen in years. Resident Tony de Blasio, who identified himself as a former Marine, drew loud applause when he said: “All these Flock cameras have nothing to do with safety. They have to do with control.”

Democrat Andrew Rice cited Benjamin Franklin: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” He argued that if the city wants to address safety, it should invest in resources that let residents live decent lives — not surveillance infrastructure.

Alderman Win Smith has gone further than most, calling for a pause on all cameras currently operating in the city — Flock, red light, and speed — until a formal review can be completed. Chief Mello has already agreed not to install any new cameras while the debate continues.

The Police Department’s Case

Chief Mello and supporters of the cameras argue the technology has proven its value. Police say the Flock system helped identify and track suspects following a deadly home invasion in June. The cameras have also assisted in recovering stolen vehicles and locating missing people — the core use cases Flock Safety markets to departments across the country.

“I’ll say now, if you don’t trust police or you don’t trust the government, you don’t trust big business, there’s probably not a lot that I can do to convince you,” Mello told the crowd. He maintained that the information available about the program represents the best data the department has to offer.

Vandalism, DeFlock Groups, and a New Website

Several Flock cameras along Boston Post Road and other Milford streets were vandalized on July 15th. Milford police are still working to identify who was responsible.

Meanwhile, community opposition has organized fast. Local Facebook groups under the “DeFlock” banner have grown quickly. A new site, HaveIBeenFlocked.com, claims to let residents check whether their vehicle has appeared in a Flock database search.

State Leaders Weigh In — and a New Law Is Coming

The pushback has reached Hartford. Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and State Senator James Maroney — who represents Milford — both said the cameras are an invasive technology. Residents deserve answers, they said, about who is watching, why, and under what rules.

A new Connecticut state law takes effect October 1, 2026, requiring stricter privacy guardrails around automated license plate readers, limiting data sharing, and prohibiting certain law enforcement uses of the technology. The state will also conduct a full survey of how many cameras are operating and how they’re being used, with findings expected to inform stronger regulations in 2027.

Milford officials have voted to consider a formal moratorium on the cameras at an upcoming meeting. Mayor Richard Smith confirmed a special Board of Alders meeting has been scheduled to address the issue directly.

Milford Voice will continue to cover the Flock camera debate as the city moves toward a formal vote. Have a tip or want to share your experience? Reach us at news@milfordvoice.com.