SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. — The Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office hopes speed cameras will help with safety and traffic enforcement in the county's school zones.
The current proposal on the table would deploy automated speed enforcement cameras in five out of the county's 25 school zones, before eventually expanding to other locations.
Those five locations are Massaponax High School, Battlefield Elementary and Middle, Salem Elementary School, Courthouse Elementary School and Livingston Elementary School. Each camera would also come with a license plate reader at no additional cost.
The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors was set to vote to approved the speed camera contract with Altumint last month, but instead voted to delay it. Supervisors voiced concerns about the process of selecting the vendor, and the fact that it had not yet been presented to the school board.
Despite that delay, local law enforcement officials say there is an obvious need for the cameras in the community.
"The county is growing significantly so we’re seeing a higher influx of traffic in school zones. Secondly, since Covid we’ve also seen a lot of parents who are taking their children to school. So there's not just bus traffic, there's also vehicle traffic with parents. And lastly, we have a lot of teenagers who get their license in high school and decide to drive in the school zones who lack the experience of some of the adults," said Capt. Delbert L. Myrick with the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office during a presentation to the Board of Supervisors.
During the research phase, speed camera vendor Altumint tracked 25,000 moving violations in one week in just three school zones in the county. Some drivers believe the cameras are just a money grab, but county leaders say it is not about revenue, it is about safety.
Other drivers tell WUSA9 they believe speed cameras would help slow down reckless drivers near area schools.
"I think it’s more safety than anything. I don’t think it’s about money, I think it’s about the safety of our kids," said Donald Brown, a Spotsylvania County resident.
If approved, there would be a 30-day educational period to inform the public before the cameras are active, followed by a 30-day warning period before any citation is issued.