The measure regarding the implementation of cameras in school zones to deter speeding in those areas that was recently approved by Hattiesburg City Council members will go into effect on April 22 at two prominent schools in Hattiesburg.
The cameras, which are part of a pilot program intended to help Hattiesburg Police Department officers enforce school zone speed limits, are stationed at Hardy Street near 21st Avenue for Woodley Elementary School and at West 7th Street for Grace Christian Elementary School.
“We have fielded enough complaints and I have seen enough close calls with people not caring or not paying attention as they drive in active school zones,” Mayor Toby Barker said in a statement. “The goal of this technology effort is to help change behavior.
“Additionally, the pilot program will allow us to work out any logistical issues and provide the police department with data that can provide for expansion of the program in other areas if successful.”
The program’s launch is intended for the last four to five weeks of the school year. After reviewing data and how the program is rolled out, the Hattiesburg Police Department will work with the mayor’s office to see how it can be expanded to other school zones beginning in August.
“It’ll give us the opportunity, really, for the last month or month and a half of this school year, to see how these cameras work and give our officers the opportunity to test using them,” council president Jeffrey George said in a previous story. “Also, we can go through the process of working with people through the program, if they do get ticketed (for speeding) and things like that.”
The matter was approved at the March 19 city council meeting, where members oted to approve an agreement with Intellisafe, a collision avoidance system, to begin the pilot program.
The speeding cameras were initially discussed at recently town hall meetings regarding new technology for first responders, where attendees were invited to give their opinions on matters such as drone-supported assist for the city’s police and fire departments, along with camera-assisted support for the police department. George said during those meetings, the school zone cameras received perhaps the most support of any of the discussed measures.
“This was one of the things that people liked the most, and so I’m excited personally to see this move forward and see how it can help curb speeding in school zones,” George said. “And it’s really about changing behavior – as a community, we have to do a better job in terms of speeding and following speed limits, particularly when it comes to our school zones.
“We want to make sure that children are safe as they’re walking to and from school. I think that was the main motivation, was to protect children, but also to help change behavior.”
Taxpayers would incur no cost to implement the program.
“The way it works is that Intellisafe will collect a portion of the fines that we receive,” George said. “So when a ticket goes out to someone who was caught speeding, a portion of that ticket fine will go towards the City of Hattiesburg, and a portion will go toward Intellisafe, and then a portion will go to the State of Mississippi, who receives an amount of any ticket that anyone writes.”
George said based on what he has heard from residents and school officials, the camera measure will be supported throughout the community.
“They are in support of these measures,” he said. “I attended three out of the five town halls, and this was the popular item that a lot of people were in favor of.
“I think everybody can agree on doing everything we can to improve safety within school zones.”
