Police chief: speed cameras cut school‑zone speeding 82%; city has taken in about $100,000

Police Chief Petty told the Soddy‑Daisy Board of Draft Commissioners on March 5 that speed cameras have sharply reduced speeding in the locations where they operate and have generated revenue for the city.

Police Chief Petty said the cameras have reduced speeding by 82% since activation and that the city has collected about $100,000 in fines over three years. He said the program was not intended principally to raise revenue and noted operational limits the city has used: cameras run about 30 minutes before and after school start and end times and are placed in school zones and other dangerous locations. Petty added that statute permits 24/7 camera operation but the city chose to limit hours.

Petty also described how citations are issued: tickets are generated only when a driver exceeds the posted limit by 11 mph. He said City Manager Johnson plans to use a portion of the revenue to purchase furniture and equipment for a new police building and possibly to donate funds to local schools, though the manager did not provide a detailed budget at the meeting.

Why it matters: speed cameras affect traffic safety near schools and produce municipal revenue that officials must allocate. The commission heard the financial estimate and an effectiveness claim but did not receive a line‑item accounting of prior years’ camera revenue at this meeting.

What’s next: City staff or the City Manager could provide a detailed accounting and proposed allocations for camera proceeds if the commission requests further information.