Haines City to install speed-detection cameras in school zones
HAINES CITY, Fla. - Haines City will begin installing speed-detection cameras in school zones to crack down on speeders.
"Our main objective with this is to slow people down in school zones," said Jay Hopwood, the city's Deputy Police Chief.
Hopwood says they get several complaints of speeders driving recklessly in school zones throughout the year.
"Our goal is the safety of our children and other citizens on the road, to include employees of this school board trying to get to and from work."
The city conducted studies earlier this year and found over a three-day period there were more than 1,000 cars that were going over the speed limit in school zones. So to improve safety, city commissioners approved speed detection cameras in school zones last month.
The cameras will be implemented in 12 school zones across the city.
"It detects the speed of the vehicle coming through the zone, after that, after it's reviewed," said Hopwood. "We also have the camera, it also takes a picture of the vehicle tag number, so when the violation is reviewed by a sworn police officer the violation would get sent out after that."
A state law went into effect last year that allows communities to install cameras in school zones.
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"The funding for the cameras will have no fiscal impact on the city. The fees collected by the company we choose will be based on what's collected from the infractions."
The city is currently vetting several companies and vendors and officials hope to have the cameras installed ASAP so they can be ready to go for the upcoming academic year.
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