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Police Pleased With Cameras' Effects

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By JOYCE McKENZIE

jmckenzie@tampatrib.com

Published: April 1, 2009

TEMPLE TERRACE - Photos don't lie.
Police officials are convinced they have created a sure system to help improve public safety at the intersections of 56th Avenue and Busch Boulevard/Bullard Parkway and 56th Street and Fowler Avenue.

In the five months since American Traffic Solutions installed cameras to photograph vehicles that run red lights and turn right without stopping, the company recorded 29,636 such events.

In turn, the city reviewed 15,408 of those incidents by looking at video and still photos. As a result, it issued 10,866 citations to owners of vehicles whose license plates were captured on film while the people behind the wheel violated the law.
Deputy Police Chief Patricia Powers said each photo must clearly show that the driver crossed over the intersection line after the light turned red or failed to come to a complete stop at the intersection prior to making a right-hand turn.

"Sometimes it's really close and we've been giving a lot of leeway," Powers said.

Data shows drivers are getting the picture. In October, when the month the program went live, 8,180 violations were observed and 1,821 citations were issued. In February, 2,577 violations were observed, resulting in 1,527 tickets.

Powers said drivers are becoming more cautious, judging from the decrease in the number of incidents throughout the period.

Citations are $100 for the first offense and $125 for a second infraction within one year. A $150 fee is levied for a third offense within 24 months of the first. No points are assessed for violations and insurance rates are not affected.

"Some say $100 is too much, but if drivers are stopped by an officer the tickets are at least $200 and you're looking at points on your license and an increase in your insurance," Powers said. "The whole idea is don't run the red light and you won't have to deal with it."

The city, said spokesman Mike Dunn, retains $60 of each paid citation and Phoenix-based American Traffic Solutions gets the remainder. So far the city has netted about $170,876.

"We get a lot of letters of complaint from concerned citizens. The majority of complaints are about stopping at the intersection before making a right turn," Powers said. "Some drivers will look left but they sometimes fail to come to a full stop and check to their right for pedestrians entering the intersection. That can be quite dangerous."

To be fair, Dunn said the city has also gotten several letters in favor of the program.

The company plans to install cameras at other accident-prone intersections in the city. Those intersections include East Fowler and Gillette avenues, East Fowler Avenue and Riverhills Drive, 56th Street and Whiteway Drive and 56th Street and Riverhills Drive.

"The cameras are accomplishing what we hoped," said Powers, who noted the program's purpose is to curb motorists from causing potentially deadly car crashes and critical injuries to drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

"Before we had the cameras we used to put seven or eight officers out there" at those intersections, she said.

Police Chief Ken Albano is also pleased with the progress made in the fight against traffic accidents.

"Already we're seeing a dramatic reduction in the number of violations at those two intersections. That's exactly what we are trying to do," Albano said. "When driving around other parts of the city I've also seen a change in the driving habits at other intersections. It seems to have a trickle-down effect."

For information about the program, call Powers at (813) 506-6500.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849.

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