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August 21, 2012 By News Staff
Police are getting sneaky in Prince George County, Md. County officials expect to raise $12 million in fines this year using mobile speed cameras disguised as mailboxes, the Washington Examiner reported.
The county purchased nearly five dozen cameras, increasing its number of speed cameras by a factor of four, and projected $28 million in income for 2013. The movable, disguised cameras will replace fixed-pole cameras, which some say only cause drivers to slow down and then speed up again after passing the camera.
The new cameras are battery powered and don't require underground wiring. More than 349,000 citations were issued in the first nine months of the program, which began in September.
"Using [mobile cameras] on a rotating basis at various locations along the same section of roadway and on nearby roadways, we have almost created a series of enforcement zones around the city," said Michael England, director of the Rockville City Police Department's Special Operations Bureau, reported the Washington Examiner. "As a result, motorists are changing their driving habits and slowing down."
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"Police ... expect to raise $12 million in fines this year using mobile speed cameras disguised as mailboxes..." Why is the revenue the first item of interest in this article and not Public Safety? If the Police wanted to change peoples driving habits in the name of safety they could have simply put up signs that say traffic camera ahead.
Your question, Mr. Kerr, should be..."why are 349,000 people speeding through Price George County, putting lives at risk?"....
No Kerr is right the money is the prominent point in the article. As to safety how many of those 349,000 people caused any problems and have the speed cameras reduced the accident rate?
i think the cameras are in for the money not safety. comeon be honest, just put the offending guy to hold a big enough sign on the same spot "please slow down for safety sake, i got caught for not doing so" or anything to that effect. how long to hold the sign? monatary fine divided by minimum wage equals number of hours can be a starter, Ever seen a driver who didn't slow down when a police car is present. this will be chesper than a police with a car or a empty patrol car. the guy with the sign will be more effective and impressive. I think there's a lot of you guys whom can think of this if the focus is safety not the nobey