New Haven Police Secure $750K to Expand Surveillance Tech

New Haven Police Secure $750K for Surveillance Expansion

New Haven police will expand their crime-fighting technology infrastructure with a $750,000 federal community projects grant secured by U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro, the department announced on March 13, 2026.

The funding will support the deployment of additional automated license plate readers across the city, StarChaser GPS tracking technology for vehicle pursuits, and stop sticks — devices that deflate vehicle tires to safely end high-speed chases.

What the Technology Does

New Haven currently operates more than 300 automated license plate readers throughout the city. The readers log vehicle sightings and have been used in cases ranging from stolen vehicle recoveries to homicide investigations. The new grant funding will allow the department to expand the network further.

StarChaser is a GPS dart system that allows officers to track fleeing vehicles in real time without engaging in high-speed pursuits. Officers can deploy the dart from police cruisers or handheld devices; the dart adheres to a vehicle's bumper and transmits its location, allowing police to monitor the vehicle from a safe distance rather than chasing it at high speeds.

Stop sticks are deployable tire-deflation devices that are placed in the path of a fleeing vehicle. When a vehicle rolls over them, the sticks puncture the tires in a controlled manner, gradually slowing the vehicle rather than causing a sudden stop.

Officials React

Mayor Justin Elicker praised the technology expansion, saying the department has increasingly relied on tools like license plate readers to solve crimes.

"We're making a ton of progress and we're using technology more than ever before and it's unbelievably helpful in helping us solve crimes," Elicker said.

Rep. DeLauro, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, secured the community projects grant as part of her ongoing work directing federal funding to New Haven.

"People want to know their communities are safe, and they particularly want to know police have the resources...to do their jobs," DeLauro said.

License Plate Reader Data and Privacy Debate

The expansion of New Haven's license plate reader network comes amid a statewide debate over how data collected by such systems is stored and shared. Automated license plate readers log the location and time of every vehicle they scan — including vehicles not suspected of any crime. Proposed changes to Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act could affect public access to that data.

New Haven is one of Connecticut's most heavily surveilled cities, with its existing network of more than 300 readers already among the largest in the state. The addition of new readers, funded by this grant, will further expand that reach.

New Haven Public Safety Context

New Haven is Connecticut's second-largest city, with approximately 134,000 residents. The city has invested significantly in surveillance infrastructure over the past decade, including the Shot Spotter gunshot detection system and networked security cameras. The StarChaser and stop stick deployments add pursuit-management capabilities to that existing network.

The city's police department has cited technology as a key factor in recent improvements in crime-solving rates, including homicide clearance. The $750,000 grant reflects continued federal investment in local law enforcement technology.

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