Police urge automated enforcement and red-light cameras; council asks staff to gather vendor options and public outreach plan

Police Chief John Urban and members of the department described an expanded traffic unit and presented data the department says show speeding and dangerous behavior at several locations, including school zones and the Quonset/ Roger Williams Way area.

Captain (Traffic Unit) — the department's traffic lead — told the council the unit recorded 7,100 traffic-related contacts in 2024, up from about 5,000 in 2023, and said citation counts rose from about 2,500 in 2023 to 3,200 in 2024. He said the department has invested in portable speed-trailer boards and stealth data boxes to gather targeted speed data for specific complaints.

Captain: "When we compare citation numbers... our officers aren't out there littering the streets with giving people citations... they're making discretionary stops, educating the public," he said, describing the unit's emphasis on targeted enforcement and education.

The department reported automated speed studies at two school-area streets that showed about 77% of drivers exceeding the school-zone threshold when measured with the vendor's parameters (set at 11 mph over the posted limit for the study). The chief and traffic officers recommended exploring two approaches: flashy advisory speed signs (which the police said have limited long-term effect without enforcement) and automated enforcement systems — red-light cameras and automated speed enforcement — in locations allowed by state law.

Police said Rhode Island law currently limits automated speed-enforcement cameras to school zones and that such programs typically issue a $50 mailed citation; vendors often install and maintain equipment at no upfront cost and retain a negotiated share of fines. Captain said the department prefers automated speed enforcement in school zones and automated traffic enforcement (red-light cameras) in high-risk intersections, for example on Roger Williams Way/Quonset approaches, where Electric Boat representatives told the council the company supports cameras to protect employees crossing roadways.

Daniel Viar, director of health and safety for Electric Boat, said his company employs about 7,000 people at the Quonset site and supports measures that curb dangerous driving. "It would be really nice if somebody blew a red light that they got a ticket," Viar said.

Council discussion focused on legal limits and next steps. Councilor Matt McCoy asked whether implementing automated enforcement would require an ordinance; the police replied that state law sets the $50 fine and that equipment and permitting are typically provided by vendors, but the town would need to authorize service agreements. Several council members urged robust public outreach before any contract approval.

Outcome: Council members directed staff to solicit specifications and proposals from vendors, prepare contract options and an outreach plan, and return to the council for authorization and public comment. No ordinance was enacted at the meeting.

Why it matters: Automated enforcement and red-light cameras change how traffic safety is enforced and can reduce violations in targeted locations, but they also raise questions about privacy, local ordinance language, vendor revenue-sharing and the limits of state law. The council's next steps will determine whether and where the town installs cameras and how it notifies residents.