Bradenton red-light camera vote could go either way after fiery debate

A vote to potentially remove Bradenton’s seven red-light cameras has been tentatively set for Aug. 17, the day the city’s contract is set to expire with Xerox, the Colorado-based contractor.

Council members got into a heated debate on the issue Wednesday and appear as divided as when the city implemented the cameras with a split vote in 2008. Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan released the latest crash data on camera intersections, and the statistical information is “convoluted.”

The data shows an increase in accidents at red-light camera intersections, but “angled crashes,” which Bevan said are more likely to cause serious injury, have decreased by 7 percent. The majority of the increased number of accidents are rear-end collisions.

Bevan said the mixed results leave her with no opinion on making a recommendation to the council. She said her own research revealed data that legitimizes both sides of the controversial red-light camera issue.

“If you research, you can grab information from this direction and that direction, and I even provided some opposing studies that are valid,” said Bevan. “I stand neutral. I like to opine based on solid research and empirical data and it doesn’t exist.”

Bevan said there are a number of factors for increased accidents, such as an increase in tourism and traffic, “but that’s just a statement and not a definitive causation. There’s no way to show for sure why accidents have increased overall.”

From June 2014 through June 2015, there were 28 crashes at the city’s seven red-light camera locations of which 10 were directly related to someone running a red light. From June 2015 until this past June, there were 52 crashes, of which 11 were due to red-light runners. Bevan provided crash data for three non-monitored intersections and in the same two-year period, there were 32 crashes, of which seven were due to red-light violators.

Bevan said the numbers were strictly for comparison, “But you can’t quantify or qualify that. It’s hard to measure because it’s apples to oranges.”

Bevan’s report concluded that the 7 percent decrease in the more dangerous angled crashes was a significant number and that red-light running has been decreased. However, the crash percentages still appear higher at red-light camera intersections as opposed to non-monitored intersections, she noted.

Revenue versus public safety

Bevan’s report verifies the No. 1 complaint from motorists.

“Although the cameras give officers the ability to find and enforce violations that occur milliseconds after a light change, very few accidents are caused by this due to the timing of the traffic signals,” the report states.

Counilman Bemis Smith pointed to the word “milliseconds” as the primary issue up for debate.

“Red-light cameras don’t stop people from running red lights and killing people,” said Smith. “These tickets are being based on milliseconds that the officers say they wouldn’t have been able to tell if they were sitting at the intersection. Are we really serving our community?”

Smith said the cameras are more of a funding source to the state and the contractor, with half of the revenue going to the state and a large percentage to the contractor.

“We are actually working for them,” said Smith.

Councilman Gene Brown said the cameras are worth it if it saves but one life, but Smith said he isn’t convinced that’s true.

“At best, there is very little impact on preventing accidents,” he said. “The camera doesn’t reach out and slap you on the head to get you to stop. We have become a gotcha society and look for ways to get you.”

Smith said he would support any measure to prevent loss of life, but doesn’t believe the cameras are the answer. He said it’s more important to protect the mother on the way to daycare to pick up a child who passes through an intersection “milliseconds” after the light change and is met with a $158 ticket.

“Here’s a mother living paycheck to paycheck and gets caught by a millisecond. That’s food out of her family’s mouths and that’s 50 percent of our community,” said Smith, who noted that millions of local dollars are being taken out of the community and given to the state.

Mayor Wayne Poston said red-light cameras have become too politicized, “and doesn’t have a thing to do with public safety. I’m not sure if we should do it or not, but our whole philosophy of policing is compliance and not punishment. I understand this is controversial, but there’s not much to stand on on either side.”

Councilman Patrick Roff said he initially supported the cameras, but feels the city was duped when the contractor was allowed to choose the intersections. The camera at Manatee Avenue West and 15th Street West is in view of Roff’s home.

“It’s the most bogus red light in the system,” he said. “It’s a money-generating intersection with no real danger of an accident. It’s just an example of an intersection they can make money on.”

This story was originally published August 3, 2016 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Bradenton red-light camera vote could go either way after fiery debate."