Tennessee State Representative Andy Holt is seeking an opinion from the Attorney General on whether or not traffic camera companies are breaking the law.
Holt says only Tennessee law enforcement officers are authorized to review footage from traffic cameras. But he says companies first review the footage to determine if motorists violate state law or municipality codes before sending it on to police officers for confirmation.
“You know, what we’ve done is we have privatized police powers for profit and through these systems. These camera companies and municipalities have a vested interest in making sure that these photo enforcement devices continue to be utilized because they have become very dependent upon this revenue,” Holt said. “This is a financial scheme. This have very little, if anything, to do with safety. And I think the vast majority of folks in Tennessee will agree with that. You know, we’ll have several conversations each and every week regarding these photo enforcement citations. And I encourage individuals not to pay them.”
Lieutenant Melvin Dowell says since Union City Police started using traffic enforcement cameras around nine years ago, there have been fewer traffic accidents and fewer speed violations. Dowell says cameras are not a unique law enforcement method.
“If you go to Wal-Mart right now and you shoplift and you don’t get caught by an employee when you walk out the door, when they review their cameras, say tonight or tomorrow, and they see you shoplifting and they can identify you, then they file a police report and have you arrested and come to court. That’s basically the same thing [that happens using a traffic camera]," Dowell said. "But [Representative Holt] don’t see it that way.”
Dowell says all revenue from the camera system goes into the transportation fund to maintain city streets.
Rep. Holt says he expects to hear back from the Attorney General in three or four weeks.