Connecticut State Police acknowledged using artificial intelligence to enhance a photo submitted for the nationwide Best Looking Cruiser Contest, but the head of the organization sponsoring the competition said Thursday that the touch-up would not affect the agency's eligibility.

The photo features a pair of Ford Mustang cruisers at Avery Point Lighthouse in Groton. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, state police responded to a jab from Virginia State Police, one of several other agencies that also submitted Mustang cruisers for the annual contest sponsored by the American Association of State Troopers.

Virginia troopers had posted on Facebook, "No AI in our Mustang photos, just the amazing photography talents of Sergeant Joseph Yokiel."

Connecticut troopers responded, " Virginia State Police — We value accuracy and transparency. To clarify, the only AI used in this image was a minimal sky enhancement; all other elements are authentic. We stand by the integrity of our work."

Describing a video of the Avery Point photo shoot posted on the Connecticut State Police Facebook page, agency spokesperson Trooper First Class Pedro A. Muniz wrote in an email to CT Insider, "In today's video, the sky you see was present during the photo shoot, but it did not extend behind the lighthouse in the original shot. To complete the composition, I used AI to extend the existing sky into the frame."

"This enhancement does not impact our eligibility for the contest," Muniz wrote in an email to CT Insider on Wednesday. "But what does affect us in this competition is the votes of our residents here in CT. We need our partners here in our state to vote for us! Visit www.CSPnews.org/vote to cast your vote."

John Bagnardi, director of the national troopers association, confirmed Thursday that the AI enhancement would not affect Connecticut's qualification.

"We want the agencies to be creative," Bagnardi said of the background enhancement.

He said he was sure other agencies had done similar background touch-ups, and in any case, "The car is the car."

Bagnardi also echoed Muniz's comments about "friendly, playful rivalry" between state police agencies in the competition, saying such back-and-forth is encouraged.

The main question for Connecticut State Police and all the other competing agencies is whether Florida Highway Patrol can be beaten after winning the cruiser beauty contest for three years in a row. Online votes (one vote per device) determine the winner, and the top 13 vote-getters will be featured in the nonprofit organization's 2027 calendar. The top finisher's cruiser goes on the cover. Calendar sales benefit the nonprofit organization's scholarship fund.

Florida won last year with a black-and-tan Chevrolet Corvette photographed against the Miami skyline. State police there had seized the car in a drug trafficking case, according to a news report.

Connecticut State Police Capt. Kate Coney said the agency received three 2026 Mustang GTs about six weeks ago and all three are assigned to troopers patrolling state highways. The cars are equipped with a 10-speed transmission and 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine that produces 480 horsepower, state police said.

Voting continues until Monday at noon. As of Wednesday, with 220,490 total votes cast, Connecticut was in 23rd place, Virginia was in the 17th spot and Michigan was on top, according to the troopers association.

_____________

© 2026 The Register Citizen, Torrington, Conn.

Visit www.registercitizen.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.