Due to limited resources many states use speed enforcement cameras—also known as photo or video enforcement—to take a digital photograph or video of a vehicle (and its license plate) that violates the speed limit. The use of speed enforcement cameras to issue speeding tickets or citations (mailed to the driver) has been controversial, with claims that it violates Constitutional rights.

Laws vary from state to state and in some states speed enforcement cameras are a permitted enforcement tool; in some states they are prohibited; and in some states they are prohibited unless permitted by a local ordinance (city or town).

To measure the speed of a moving vehicle and issue speeding tickets by photo enforcement, police departments generally use photo or video radar that relies on radio signals and the Doppler Effect or photo and video LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology that relies on lasers rather than radio waves. These devices require training on their proper use and regular calibration to be accurate.

In Connecticut, the use of speed enforcement cameras is not currently authorized. The state does not permit the use of photo radar or LIDAR technology for the purpose of issuing speeding tickets or citations via mail. While other states may have varying laws regarding the use of such technology, with some allowing it under certain conditions or within specific jurisdictions, Connecticut has not enacted legislation to permit the use of speed enforcement cameras. Therefore, in Connecticut, speeding violations are typically enforced by police officers through traditional methods such as direct observation and the use of radar or LIDAR devices operated by the officers themselves.