On October 5, 2026, the Greenwich Police Department in Connecticut publicly shared the locations of its 13 automated license plate readers (ALPRs) for the first time. This disclosure comes as new state laws regulating ALPRs went into effect. Drivers in Greenwich can now know where these surveillance cameras are positioned.
The Greenwich Time reported that the police department updated the town's website with the six specific geographic locations where the 13 cameras are installed. While municipalities are not mandated to post these locations publicly, they are now required to disclose them through Freedom of Information Act requests.
Where are the Greenwich license plate readers located?
Greenwich's 13 ALPRs are installed at six locations:
- East Putnam Avenue and Mason Street
- Interstate 95 exit 4 and Indian Field Road
- I-95 exit 5 and East Putnam Avenue
- Field Point Road and Brookside Drive
- Railroad Avenue and Arch Street
- West Putnam Avenue and Field Point Road
These cameras log license plate numbers, timestamps, locations, and sometimes images of vehicles as they pass. The data is checked against a "hotlist" for stolen vehicles, AMBER alerts, and wanted persons. It can also be used in investigations to identify vehicles present at a crime scene.
What do new Connecticut ALPR laws mean for drivers?
Connecticut's new ALPR laws, effective October 1, 2026, bring several changes that impact how your vehicle's data is collected and used:
- Data Sharing Restrictions: Connecticut law enforcement agencies can now only share license plate data with towns in Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island, provided those towns agree to Connecticut's usage policies. Police in other states will require a judicial warrant to search Connecticut data.
- Prohibited Uses: The data cannot be used for investigations related to immigration, reproductive care, gender-affirming healthcare, or to identify individuals engaged in First Amendment-protected activities like protests.
- Data Retention: Collected data will only be kept for 21 days unless it is part of an active investigation, required for a warrant, or for highway usage fees.
- Policy Compliance: Departments must follow a model policy developed by the state's police council and submit annual reports on their ALPR usage.
- Location Restrictions: Public agencies are barred from collecting license plate data near reproductive or sexual health facilities that primarily provide gender-affirming healthcare services, or organizations that primarily serve immigrant communities.
Greenwich Police Chief James Heavey stated that the town does not use Flock Safety equipment, opting instead for Maryland-based Rekor. He also noted that Greenwich's ALPRs perform "narrow, limited functions," and the data is "stringently controlled, stored and controlled only by (the Greenwich Police Department), never a third party, and is not shared with any federal agency." The information is also shielded from public disclosure under a carve-out in Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act.
For more information on how ALPRs work and what they read, visit our /learn section.