Hubbard Twp puts brakes on use of speed camera on I-80
By SARAH LEHR
HUBBARD
Drivers on Interstate 80 in Hubbard Township will not have run-ins with a radar speed camera – at least for now.
Township trustees voted this week to temporarily suspend use of a manned speed camera due to questions about its use under state law. Fred Hanley, trustee board chairman, said camera use will be prohibited on I-80.
Although the camera could be used elsewhere in the township, officials will wait until they get clarity on where the camera can be used.
The township acquired one radar speed camera this summer after entering into a contract with Blue Line Solutions, a Tennessee-based private company. Under the agreement, the township collects 65 percent of revenue from civil fines issued from the camera and the Blue Line Solutions gets 35 percent.
Recent Ohio legislation, which went into effect in March, restricted the use of unmanned speed cameras. As a result, the type of camera acquired by the township requires a full-time police officer to issue a citation. An officer clicks a button on a hand-held camera that snaps a photo of a speeder’s license plate. The speeder then receives a citation in the mail. This means an officer does not necessarily have to pull someone over to issue a ticket.
Township officials, however, are now questioning the legality of manned camera use as well.
An interpretation of the state law on camera use by Ohio Supreme Court Justice Terrence O’Donnell concludes that the legislation “precludes township police officers who are not commissioned peace officers from enforcing these traffic laws on any state highway, and commissioned peace officers serving a township with a population of 50,000 or less may not enforce these traffic laws on state highways included in the interstate highway system.”
Hubbard Township has a population of about 5,500, not including Hubbard city residents.
Township Sgt. Ronald Fusco said Hubbard Police Chief Todd Coonce and township trustees started to question the authority of township police officers on the interstate “about a month and a half ago.” Coonce could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Hanley said the township will seek consultation on whether using the camera is legal on I-80. While the township waits for an answer, police will hold off using the camera.
Hanley added the decision to halt camera use will not adversely affect the township’s contract with Blue Line Solutions.
When the township first debuted the camera, it introduced a 15-day, fine-free warning period. Blue Line Solutions mailed out 286 citations during that period on behalf of the township police department, Fusco said.
Technically, the township’s warning period ended Sept. 23, but Fusco said the township hasn’t used the camera at all since the warning period ended. This was due to insufficient manpower, Fusco said.
Fusco said the department is looking into hiring more part-time police officers after a full-time officer left.
Before acquiring the camera, township officers did not enforce speeding on I-80 at all, Fusco said, though they did and continue to assist the Ohio State Highway Patrol with crashes when needed.
Township officials say acquiring the camera represented a push to crack down on speeding in response to accidents in I-80 construction zones.
Though township officials say the camera’s primary goal was safety, critics argue the cameras amount to nothing more than a municipal money grab.
The city of Youngstown debuted a nearly identical, though larger-scale, program this summer. The city entered into a contract with Optotraffic of Landham, Md., for speed cameras. Like Hubbard Township, Youngstown collects 65 percent of the fine revenue. Youngstown has cited 3,754 motorists through the cameras between Aug. 15 and last Friday. As of last Friday, 1,434 people paid their fines, which amounts to about $179,250 total based on an average $125 fine. The city collected about $116,513 of that money.
Despite grumblings from motorists, Youngstown continues to operate its traffic cameras, and officials say the cameras have slowed down motorists.
The township chose to suspend its camera use solely out of concern about potential illegality and not because of complaints from the public, Hanley said.