Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Traffic Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Police chief: speed cameras cut school‑zone speeding by 82%; city has taken about $100,000 in three years
Summary
Police Chief Petty told the commission the city has collected about $100,000 from speed cameras over three years and that cameras have reduced speeding in school zones by 82%; he said cameras run 30 minutes before and after school and issue citations only at 11 mph over the limit.
Police Chief Petty told the Soddy‑Daisy Board of Commissioners on March 5 that speed‑camera enforcement has reduced speeding in school zones by 82% and that the city has collected roughly $100,000 from camera citations over three years.
Asked by Vice‑Mayor Jackie Penney how camera revenue is being used, Petty said the City Manager plans to use a portion of the funds to buy furniture and equipment for a new police building and possibly to donate money to local schools. Petty described local practice of running cameras 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after the start and end of school. He added that the cameras only issue citations when drivers exceed the limit by 11 miles per hour and that, while state statute permits 24/7 operation, the city limited cameras to school‑zone hours by policy.
Petty framed the cameras as a safety measure rather than a revenue source: "The cameras do not issue tickets unless you are driving 11 miles over in the school zones," he said. The transcript reports the percentage reduction and revenue figures but does not include underlying data or identify the specific statutory citation Petty referenced. The Board did not take a separate vote on camera operations at this meeting.
