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Residents challenge Panama City on school‑zone cameras, timing and vendor incentives
Summary
Residents and commissioners debated the implementation of Red Speed school‑zone cameras, questioning flashing‑light timing, calibration, enforcement by sworn officers, and whether the vendor contract creates a revenue incentive that should be constrained by policy adjustments.
A lengthy public exchange at Panama City's open session centered on school‑zone speed cameras, with residents, business owners and commissioners pressing staff for data on tickets, calibration and the timing of flashing lights that trigger notices of violation.
Aaron Hayes, who said he had shared detailed data with the commission, asked that the cameras issue notices only when the flashing lights are active and visible to the recording camera. "That causes distractions... The confusion is as you enter that zone," Hayes said, urging flashing-time activation to remove what he called a "money‑making" appearance for the system.
Deputy Chief Chris Shaw of the Panama City Police Department said the department has a sworn officer review every potential notice of violation and that tickets will be dismissed if the lights were not flashing: "If the lights aren't flashing, then we dismiss the tickets." Shaw said the department had extended a warning period since February to ensure system accuracy and that officers also respond to peak calls and crashes during school rush hours.
Commissioners and members of the public pushed the police department and vendor for specifics: how many school‑zone tickets officers have written since February (answers ranged from "0" to "4" in the discussion), how calibration is performed, and whether camera times can be dialed to school schedules to avoid unnecessary citations. Residents also asked whether the contract can be canceled with 30 days' notice; staff said the contract includes a 30‑day cancellation clause and that the vendor agreed to remove infrastructure if the city terminates early.
Speakers proposed pragmatic fixes: ensure flashing lights line up with camera capture, publish ticket and enforcement statistics, require more visible signage, and review the contract if data show the system is being used outside the stated purpose of protecting children. Commissioners asked staff to track Red Speed receipts and code them for public‑safety use; staff said the receipts will be coded in the general fund with a tracking code and restrictions on allowable uses.
The commission spent roughly 35 minutes on the topic and agreed to continue the conversation; staff said they would provide additional data and bring any needed contract actions back to the commission.
