Craig Zimmerman on License-Plate Surveillance

Public disputes over automated license-plate readers, searchable vehicle-location records, and the use or prohibition of networked camera systems.

How we classify topics

Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.

Statement history

2 statements on this page. Dates: October 5, 2026

2 matching statements. Dates: October 5, 2026

2 published statements. Dates: October 5, 2026

Condemned

1 published statement. Dates: October 5, 2026

1 statement on this page. Dates: October 5, 2026

Craig Zimmerman

Role at the time: Mayor of South Windsor, Connecticut, and member of the Town Council

October 5, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

On October 5, 2026, South Windsor Mayor Craig Zimmerman voted with a 6-3 majority of the Town Council to terminate the town's contract with Flock Safety and remove its license plate readers. The CT Post reports he said the town cannot control what happens with the data and that the contract language did not reassure him.

“Action: Voted on October 5, 2026 for the South Windsor Town Council resolution to terminate the town's contract with Flock Safety and remove its license plate readers.”

Open source

South Windsor votes to end Flock contract, remove license plate readersParagraph beginning "Mayor Craig Zimmerman said he was initially supportive"

CT Post report on the South Windsor Town Council's October 5, 2026 vote to end the Flock contract.

Why we used this label

The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Zimmerman votes to end the contract and remove the readers, which rejects the system in South Windsor, so we labeled it Condemned and placed it at Ban or remove. The CT Post reports he said there are benefits to law enforcement but also privacy concerns. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, which would fit support for continued use under limits; WTNH reports he said a future proposal to bring the cameras back would need new rules, but the vote itself removes them.

Read statement Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?

Defended or excused

1 published statement. Dates: October 5, 2026

1 statement on this page. Dates: October 5, 2026

Craig Zimmerman

Role at the time: South Windsor mayor

October 5, 2026Defended or excused

Statement summary

South Windsor Mayor Craig Zimmerman told CT Insider that he was initially supportive of the license plate reader program but voted to remove the cameras after many meetings with officials in and out of town. He said there are benefits to law enforcement but also privacy concerns, and that the town cannot control what happens with the data.

“We really can’t control what happens with this data”

Open sourceSouth Windsor votes to end Flock contract, remove license plate readers

Reports the October 5 council vote and quotes officials explaining their votes.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

The reference point is whether South Windsor was right to remove its Flock cameras, so support for the removal counts as Defended or excused. Zimmerman says he voted for removal because the town cannot control what happens with the data, while acknowledging benefits to law enforcement, which supports removal as right, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, because he credits the program's law-enforcement benefits; he voted to remove the cameras anyway, so it loses.

Read statement Was South Windsor right to remove its Flock cameras?