CITY COUNCIL Cameras under consideration for safer intersections

Despite legislative debate, cities are considering the benefits of surveillance.
WARREN -- City council will take a look at automated cameras for intersections that have the most collisions and red light infractions.
"The idea is to create safer intersections," said Doug Franklin, city safety-service director.
Legislation to receive a first reading Wednesday would provide for the use of automated cameras, which will be used to impose traffic tickets on violators.
Backing the legislation are council members Robert Dean, D-at large; Virginia Bufano, D-1st; Alford Novak, D-2nd; Gary Fonce, D-at-large; and Susan Hartman, D-7th.
The city hasn't bought the cameras -- and doesn't intend to, Franklin explained.
Warren would seek proposals from companies interested in a contract to install the equipment and review the data at the company's expense.
The city and company would negotiate an agreement whereby revenue from fines is shared. The company would bill the driver for the infraction.
The traffic areas of photo enforcement would be marked with signs, Franklin said.
Other cities
Two cities that have red-light cameras in use now are Dayton and Toledo. In both cities, a contractor operates the cameras with each city receiving a cut of the revenue generated. In 2004, Toledo collected about $280,000 in fine revenue from the cameras, and Dayton collected about $175,000 in 2003.
Some people have assumed that Warren already has traffic cameras at selected intersections. In fact, the mounted equipment that resembles a camera is really a traffic counter, Franklin said.
Until now, Girard was the only city in the Mahoning Valley considering using the cameras.
Girard has heard a presentation from Traffipax, of Columbia, Md., which would lease the equipment to the city for a percentage of the fines the city gets for traffic violations. If Traffipax would find any violations, it would forward those to the police department for a final decision of who receives a citation.
Issue of debate
Ongoing legislative debate in Columbus on the camera issue ensures that the city can take its time with the legislation and give it three readings of city council, Franklin noted.
Such cameras at intersections for nabbing traffic violators would be banned in Ohio unless a law officer is present at the location issuing citations under a bill moving through the Legislature. The Ohio House of Representatives voted 73-24 this month to approve the measure and forward it to the Ohio Senate.
Supporters said the measure would stop local jurisdictions that hope to cash in on potential traffic fines.
Opponents of the measure said use of the cameras has merit. Many police departments don't have the staff to man every intersection that has a camera.
The Senate has yet to assign the bill to a standing committee for further review.