District officials defended the city's use of red-light and photo-radar cameras yesterday, announcing plans to expand the program at a D.C. Council hearing in which critics questioned the motivations behind the enforcement effort.
Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey and Edward D. Reiskin, the city's deputy mayor for public safety, said the city is primarily interested in reducing crashes and helping residents who complain about speeding -- not in generating money, as critics allege.
"Automated traffic enforcement in the District of Columbia is making our roadways and our neighborhoods safer for motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and residents in general," Ramsey testified.
"Aggressive driving is still a major public safety concern," he said.
The chief unveiled plans to add 10 red-light cameras and two mobile photo-radar devices. Last week, the police activated four new stationary photo-radar cameras. The city now has 39 red-light cameras and 13 photo-radar devices, five of them stationary and eight of them mobile. The mobile devices are used throughout the city.
The testimony came amid complaints from motor clubs and some council members that the city has targeted certain roadways to bring in millions of dollars, not to reduce hazards and accidents. The red-light program began in 1999, and the photo-radar effort began in 2001.
"In the District, there is widespread suspicion and criticism of the program," said council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large), who called the hearing as chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Thanks to the cameras, police issued 423,910 tickets to motorists caught speeding last year in more than 70 enforcement zones, raising about $24 million in fines. Since the program began in 2001, the city has collected more than $62 million in fines, which are deposited into the government's general fund. The vast majority of those tickets went to Maryland and Virginia drivers.
D.C. police issued 78,029 tickets to motorists caught by cameras running red lights last year, resulting in $29.8 million in fines.
During the hearing, Mendelson criticized the city's contract with the company that processes the tickets, saying the agreement was troubling because fees increase if more than 53,750 tickets are issued each month. He said such an arrangement might encourage the company, ACS Inc., to push police to issue more citations.
He also said that questions were raised by a letter from Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) that urged the council to approve ACS's $14.6 million contract in December. In the letter, Williams cited only budgetary problems that could result if the contract were not passed, Mendelson said.
The council approved the contract.
Mendelson quizzed Ramsey about the police department's decision to activate the four new stationary anti-speeding devices last week instead of focusing on mobile photo-radar devices -- devices that the chief said he prefers.
Ramsey said that police could not effectively use mobile units in all parts of the city and that the decision to post more stationary cameras was based on a variety of factors, ranging from accidents to neighborhood complaints.
On the topic of red-light cameras, Mendelson asked why only 11 devices were stationed at intersections that ranked in the top 40 in terms of accidents. Ramsey responded that he was hesitant to pull cameras out of intersections where red-light running and accidents have declined because that could lead to a spike in violations.
Community members, outside experts and members of advocacy groups also testified. Several neighborhood leaders said they support the use of cameras.
One resident objected to the cameras on constitutional grounds, and another alleged that a photo radar device installed on MacArthur Boulevard NW was designed to raise money.
Experts testified that, in general, the cameras appeared to be an effective way to reduce aggressive driving and accidents.
Lon Anderson, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, which has been critical of the program, urged city officials to continue studying the issue.
