Milwaukie Police’s photo radar van will be redeployed pm Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011 with new digital technology that will take clearer images of excessively speeding motorists.
Six Milwaukie Police Officers are trained to operate the high resolution digital camera equipment. The new technology replaces wet film technology and allows officers to immediately assess the quality of the images, rather than having to wait weeks to review the processed photographs.
Captain Steve Bartol explains the van is positioned in school zones and in high speed locations where serious accidents often occur, such as stretches along Hwy. 224 and 99E.
“There’s a direct correlation between where accidents occur in the City and where we see speeding,” Bartol said. “The speed limits are set the way they’re set to keep people safe.”
Statistics collected by Milwaukie Police show that the number of traffic collisions go down when the van is being deployed. In 2007 there were 168 collisions in Milwaukie. In 2008, when the van was in operation, 137 accidents occurred, a reduction of almost 20%. Bartol went on to explain the photo radar van is set to snap pictures on vehicles traveling 11 miles per hour over the posted speed limit or higher. Signs posted where all major streets enter Milwaukie notify motorists the City employs photo radar. The officer’s operating the van also post signs about 200 yards ahead of where the van is stationed letting motorists know photo radar is in operation.
Revenues collected through the $10 traffic assessment that’s added to guilty adjudicated traffic citations fund a number of traffic-safety initiatives in Milwaukie, such as the purchase of mobile street signs, crossing guard equipment for local schools, Walk Safely Milwaukie capital improvement projects, and pedestrian and bike signage.
Don Wiley, the chair of Milwaukie’s Public Safety Advisory Committee, says the committee members, who are nominated by each of their Neighborhood Associations to serve the committee, are supportive of the photo radar program.
“We’re happy to have it back,” Wiley said. “With school back in session, it will be good to have the van in school zones.”
The Police Department will be working with Milwaukie High School media students to create a video that explains how the van works and why it’s effective, how it’s deployed, and what happens with the money raised. The video will be posted on the City’s website and be highlighted in the information that accompanies photo radar citations.
