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North Kingstown debates speed-camera fines as police data shows sharp drop in violations
Summary
Councilors and residents sparred over school‑zone speed cameras after police presented data showing violations fell from a daily average of about 9,253 in targeted areas to 323/day during a 30‑day warning period and about 218/day once citations began; council did not suspend fines during the meeting but asked staff to fund an outreach campaign.
Captain McCoy, the town’s police captain, presented data the department said show rapid behavior change after the camera program’s warning period. "The traffic study averaged 9,253 citable violations per day," he told the council, and the department reported warnings averaged 323 per day during the 30‑day education period — a 96.5% reduction — with citations later averaging 218 per day. "To me, this continued downward trend reflects increased compliance and safer driving," he said.
Supporters and critics presented competing evidence about safety and fairness. Meg Kerr, a longtime Prospect Avenue runner, described the cameras as "transformational," saying, "It is safe for me to run there. The cars are going by very slowly." In contrast, Thomas Maiozzi, a resident, pointed to the program’s early financial impact: "1,700 times $50 in the first week was $85,000 taken from the local economy," he said, and urged the town to try physical traffic calming instead of automated enforcement.
Council discussion focused on balancing safety goals with community concern. One councilor proposed a public-education campaign in August followed by a one‑month grace period for fines at the start of the school year, then a resumption of citations on Oct. 1; the chief said the program met statutory requirements and warned that narrowing hours could create legal exposure. Council members also sought more granular data by location and time to understand why some sites (Stony Lane) had higher repeat‑offender rates. The chief reported that approximately 54.7% of violations were from nonresidents and that contract terms split a $50 fine roughly $34 to the vendor and $16 to the town.
After debate, councilors did not vote to suspend fines during the meeting. Several members said they would rather use funds for broader public outreach: the town manager agreed to coordinate with the police and the school department and to prepare options for an information campaign ahead of the next meeting. That is the most recent procedural outcome; further action could be taken on a future agenda.
