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Police: school speed-zone cameras cut unlawful speeds ~90%; grant and wellness efforts underway
Summary
Chief Eason told the commission the school speed-zone camera program reduced unlawful speeds by about 90% and produced no town revenue; the department seeks grant funding for officer wellness and for two additional grant-funded officer positions (federal grants cover 75% of salary).
Chief Eason updated the Oakland Town Commission on July 14 on the police department’s strategic plan, school speed-zone cameras and grant efforts.
On the cameras, Eason said the program has reduced unlawful speeds by about 90% since inception and that the town has taken in no revenue from the program so far. "To be totally transparent, we have taken in $0 from this program," Eason said, adding that the program’s objective is safety. He explained that school speed-zone cameras operate only during school hours (preprogrammed to the school calendar), citations are reviewed by the vendor and then by an in-house officer in a two-layer approval process before issuance, and signage—not the flashing light—is the controlling element for enforcement under state statute.
Eason said the department will provide commissioners with a copy of a three‑year strategic plan at the next meeting and described plans for an officer wellness program; staff applied for an approximately $250,000 grant to stand up the program. He also noted the department has applied in prior years for two grant-funded officer positions; the federal grant would cover 75% of an officer’s salary if awarded.
Eason said the department has had no crashes in the school zone since the program’s start. He said camera citations are administrative and not recorded on the police activity report, which instead reflects uniform traffic citations written by officers.
Commissioners asked about hours of operation and signage; Eason confirmed the system is preprogrammed to the school calendar and that the signage identifies the reduced speeds and controlling hours.
