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Council gives first reading to speed‑camera ordinance; privacy concerns raised
Summary
Council voted to give a first reading to an ordinance authorizing automated traffic enforcement devices under state statute; supporters said cameras are a safety tool, critics warned about surveillance and data misuse.
The City Council gave the ordinance authorizing automated traffic enforcement devices its first reading on July 20, citing Connecticut General Statute §14‑307c as the enabling authority. Councilors described the measure as a pilot and emphasized that the intent is to change speeding behavior and improve safety in high‑risk corridors; an initial site mentioned near Connecticut College was cited during discussion.
Several councilors pressed privacy concerns and questioned whether vendors and data protocols could reliably prevent misuse. "I don't think there is really a safe way to do highly automated surveillance that doesn't completely compromise our privacy," one councilor said during debate. Supporters said the pilot is safety‑focused and not a revenue generator; the council adopted the ordinance for first reading and scheduled subsequent readings per the standard process.
Next steps: the ordinance will proceed to further readings and a possible pilot site list and protocols will be returned to council for review.
