Bradenton set to resume school zone speed camera program as students return
The City of Bradenton will keep its school zone speed cameras for the new school year, despite Manatee County ending its program following public criticism.
While county commissioners voted in March to end their camera program after issuing more than 55,000 tickets, the Bradenton Police Department says the city’s system has reduced speeding and will continue without changes. Ticketing resumes Aug. 11, the first day of school, according to the agency.
Bradenton Police Department spokesperson Meredith Censullo said that while the county’s suspension “certainly led to some confusion,” she stressed that the city’s program is separate and has shown results.
“Results from speed studies in Bradenton indicate that there is a positive impact in reducing the number of drivers who speed in school zones,” Censullo said. “At this point, the City of Bradenton’s program will run just as it did last school year.”
The department’s Facebook post announcing the program’s return drew mixed reactions from residents. Some criticized the cameras as unfair and primarily a way to generate money.
“Violation cameras don’t deter speeding, they only increase revenue,” one commenter wrote, suggesting more crossing guards and physical measures like speed humps would better protect students.
In response to those concerns, Censullo said revenue from fines is distributed among several agencies in accordance with state law.
Others supported the city’s decision, with one post calling it “a shame” that the county ended its program and accusing commissioners of prioritizing “money from the privileged residents” over “the safety of our school students.”
School zone camera ticketing returns to Bradenton
According to the Bradenton Police Department, the city’s cameras monitor speeds throughout the entire school day at 10 campuses: Sea Breeze Elementary, G.D. Rodgers Elementary, Ballard Elementary, Prine Elementary, Manatee Elementary, Moody Elementary, Palma Sola Elementary, J.P. Miller Elementary, Sugg Middle School and Manatee High School.
During the 2024‑25 school year, police say the cameras issued 12,320 violations. Among the worst cases was a driver caught driving 78 mph in a 25 mph zone outside Sea Breeze, which was 53 mph over the limit. Other top speeds included 73 mph on 59th Street West near Sugg Middle and 69 mph on 13th Avenue West near G.D. Rodgers, according to police.
The countywide program, separate from the city’s, lasted less than six months before commissioners voted 5-2 to end it. During that time, the cameras issued more than 55,000 tickets and generated over $5.5 million in fines. Critics argued the system unfairly ticketed drivers outside of arrival and dismissal times and accused the county of running a “money grab.”
Commissioner Bob McCann, who led the effort to halt the program, said at the time it was “not serving its intended purpose.” Supporters, including other commissioners and public safety officials, maintained that the cameras encouraged safer driving near schools.
In April, the School Board of Manatee County asked commissioners to reinstate the county’s cameras with limits so they only operated during school zone hours.
The county program, like Bradenton’s, used technology from the Maryland-based company RedSpeed. Although complaints led the county to end its program, Bradenton’s cameras remain in place. The system operates under a 2023 state law authorizing municipalities to enforce speed limits in school zones during all school hours.
Censullo explained that municipalities must independently vote to adopt the program, so the county’s decision had no effect on Bradenton’s cameras. The RedSpeed cameras enforce both the reduced school zone limits during arrival and dismissal and the regular posted limits during the rest of the school day, according to the agency.
When asked about community response, Censullo said most feedback the department receives comes from drivers who were cited rather than the general public. She added that confusion often arises because many drivers believe cameras only operate when flashing lights are on, even though those lights only mark when the reduced speed limit is in effect.
That enforcement window has been a source of frustration for opponents online.
“They should only run when those flashing lights are on. They should not be running the entire day,” one person wrote.
Where does school zone ticket money go?
According to the Bradenton Police Department, cameras are active during all school hours, and every violation is reviewed internally before a $100 civil fine is issued. Censullo said violations are civil and do not affect a driver’s record unless unpaid, in which case they escalate to a uniform traffic citation. She added that if it is unclear which vehicle was speeding, such as when two cars are side by side, the violation is not approved.
Questions about where the fine money goes also surfaced online. “With those 12,000 plus tickets at $100 a pop, what are the thousands of dollars going towards? The schools?” one commenter asked. Another said they would “love to see where this money was allocated.”
According to an FAQ on the Bradenton Police Department’s website, state law requires that revenue from each $100 violation be divided as follows: $60 to the City of Bradenton, $20 to the state’s general fund, $12 to Manatee County Schools, $5 to the Crossing Guard Program, and $3 to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Education Fund.
Not all feedback was critical. One commenter said extreme violators should face tougher penalties, suggesting that anyone caught going more than double the limit should “have their license revoked.”
For now, drivers passing through Bradenton school zones should expect enforcement to continue. More information, including camera locations and FAQs, is available at BradentonPD.com/SchoolZoneCameras.
