Despite support from the Board and Police Department, the installation of a camera system in Rockland that would ticket offenders who speed through red lights, has hit a snag.
According to Police Chief John Llewellyn, who proposed the cameras, police are waiting for the state to approve a corresponding by law.
The deadline is September 11. State officials must vote to change the pertinent law so the infraction — driving through a red light and being caught on the camera’s film — would be treated as a civil, rather than a criminal matter.
“Under the present law it becomes a criminal matter and adds points to your insurance,” Selectman James Simpson said. Were the law to be changed, “the red light issue will be handled just like a parking ticket,” Simpson added.
Rockland is still taking bids as to which company would install the cameras, if the proposal is eventually approved.
Simpson attended a July 31 meeting hosted by the Massachusetts Chief of Police Association intended for police chiefs and local board of selectmen representatives.
Simpson said he went into the meeting with doubts about the surveillance system and restrictions on violators’ rights, but he left a firm supporter.
“I was concerned about the aspects of ‘Big Brother,’ that’s why I attended the meeting,” said Simpson. But “they protect us so much. I was impressed that it was a safety-driven item. It’s very protective of the individual rights.”
According to the Rockland Police, the camera system would deter traffic violations by photographing perpetrating vehicles and delivering tickets through the mail.
The tickets would be an estimated $100 fine, the same as a police-issued fine. At the State House, legislation on the issue is currently under consideration by the state.
It cannot be put into effect until it is voted on, Simpson said.
“I don’t have any clue when they’re going to do that,” he said. “As soon as it’s approved many towns will vote it in.”
The tickets would be issued to drivers who go through red lights, or turn despite a “no right on red” sign, or turn right on red when all four lanes are stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross.
Simpson said the cameras photograph vehicles going through a red light and includes the date, time, and number plate. If the state requires it, the cameras may also take a picture of the driver, he added. A beam comes on when the light turns red. Drivers would have to bend that beam to initiate the camera.
The ticketing system has been criticized at previous selectmen’s meetings for the possibility of a violator being ticketed thrice — once by an officer, once by mail, and perhaps once with a surcharge — but Simpson said the meeting detailed ways to prevent this.
“If there’s any doubt (the ticket) doesn’t get sent out,” Simpson said. “The police department has the opportunity to cancel out any of these that happen.
So if there happened to be a situation where a person went through the red light, and there’s a cruiser there who gives a ticket, he can neutralize it and say a ticket has already been issued. There are checks and balances on the system.”
Simpson said a notable benefit to the camera system is that it would be implemented at no cost to the town.
The company that manufactures the cameras will provide and install them for a portion of the $100 ticket fines. The camera company will receive an estimated 25-30 percent of money derived from fines.
While there will not be cameras installed at every four-way intersection, the most frequently used ones will use the camera system, and drivers will have no way to distinguish the difference.
Police officials have targeted intersections on Hingham Street and traffic at Union Square and Market Street for camera locations, and have planned surveys to produce concrete traffic information.
Traffic enforcement officer Jerry Eramo has estimated that the most frequently used intersections in the town could have between 75,000 and 100,000 vehicles traveling through daily.
Rockland Police Department officials first proposed the idea to selectmen during a meeting last March.
