Police propose speed-camera program and new traffic unit; council tentatively OKs budget, parks options for follow-up

Los Alamos Police Chief sought council backing Tuesday for a pilot speed-camera program and two traffic officers as part of the department's proposed $17,226,071 budget. The council voted 7-0 to tentatively approve the overall police budget and placed the camera/staffing options in the budget "parking lot" for more discussion.

The chief told the council the department had deployed a speed-display sign on the truck route and gathered data from April 11'20 that recorded 23,938 vehicles passing the device. "Five hundred eighty vehicles exceeded the speed limit by at least 11 miles an hour," the chief said in presenting the sign's log, and he described a separate count showing "8,313 vehicles" traveling 56 mph or faster. He said the display sign undercounts vehicles and that a technologically superior fixed camera system would detect more violations.

Why it matters: Councilors and the police chief framed the proposal as a traffic-safety measure aimed at reducing high-speed crashes on a road corridor with a history of serious collisions. The council approved the department's base budget but asked for more detail and operational planning before committing to recurring equipment or staffing increases.

Details of the proposal and debate

The chief proposed a package that combined fixed cameras at problem corridors, a mobile enforcement component and two outfitted traffic patrol vehicles with dedicated officers. He said implementation would require vendor contracts and that some vendors charge per-camera monthly fees while performing citation mailings and other back-office work. "An officer still has to view each violation," the chief said, describing the planned officer review and validation step before a citation is issued.

Councilors raised staffing and enforcement questions: with about 10 current vacancies in the department, several councilors asked how new traffic positions would be filled, whether the department could maintain daily patrols and how unpaid citations would be handled. The chief said some vendors provide administrative support including mailings and that historical experience in other New Mexico jurisdictions shows most cited drivers eventually pay or address the citation through the established process.

Federal partner and public comment

Ted Wieker, Los Alamos National Laboratory's federal manager for the lab (Department of Energy / National Nuclear Security Administration), told council he supported the police proposals. "DOE/NNSA supports the Los Alamos Police Department and its efforts to improve traffic safety across Los Alamos County as well as the lab," Wieker said, adding that many employees report commuting as their most hazardous daily activity.

A resident who survived a serious crash urged the council to act. "Nobody likes a citation, but nobody likes to see someone they know and love ' be injured or die in a crash that could be prevented," Maura O'Neil told the council.

Next steps and votes

Councilor Reiting moved to tentatively approve the police department budget including the three budget options that would fund cameras and the traffic unit; the motion was seconded and carried 7-0. Councilors also agreed to place the camera and staffing options in the budget parking lot for additional review of vendor terms, operational details, staff capacity and a community notification/education plan before final action.

Provenance: The police chief's presentation, the council's questions and the DOE and public comments appear in the meeting record between the police presentation beginning at the "Good evening, madam chair, councilors" block and the motion and roll call later that night.

Ending: The council's tentative approval lets the department begin planning and vendor outreach, but the eventual decision on speed cameras and permanent traffic staffing will return to the council after further staff analysis and community outreach.