Photo radar tickets in Calgary significantly down following provincial changes – Calgary

Months after the Calgary Police Department began putting high-visibility decals on photo radar vehicles, the number of photo radar tickets in the city is declining, according to police service data.

The ‘Safe Driving’ banner is in response to state law changes regarding automated traffic enforcement state laws enacted in December 2021.

The idea behind the change was to promote safe driving and prevent police and local authorities from using photographic radar as a “money-maker,” state officials said at the time.

There were 6,531 photo radar tickets issued in March this year, down 68% from 20,805 tickets issued in March 2019, according to Calgary Police Service data. A relatively normal month for pre-pandemic photo radar tickets.

The data shows that 53,364 Photo Radar tickets were issued in the first three months of 2019, while only 22,273 tickets were issued in the first three months of this year.

Doug King, a professor of justice at Mount Royal University, said the data was still down compared to the reduction in traffic due to the pandemic.

“Here in Calgary, we have never had the epiphany that we all have to slow down on the road,” King told Global News. It got harder.”

These new state rules are in effect through December 2023. This prohibits local governments and police from installing new photographic radar installations, upgrading existing photographic radar installations, or adding new photographic radar installations.

State governments are also starting to take a bigger chunk of revenues from radar and traffic tickets, King said, which could affect police funding.

“Decreasing earnings will have a big impact on the number of new officers we can hire,” said King. “Calgary, Edmonton, big cities, small communities. The need for more police officers and boots in the field is clear.”

However, the Calgary police chief said Calgary’s photographic radar was about road safety and did not generate revenue.

Chief Executive Mark Neufeld told reporters the technology “is not being abused like it is in other jurisdictions.”

Neufeld anticipates the impact on police budgets, but waits for more data to determine whether high-visibility photo-radar vehicles are making Calgary’s roads safer. said.

“The revenue part is part of the budget, so it has the same impact as how the budget is structured,” says Neufeld. Injuries and deaths — that’s what I’d like to see the impact of this on as well. It’s not a purely financial issue. “

Speaking to Global News on Wednesday, the driver said he welcomed the improved visibility of photo radar vehicles and hoped it would make a difference on city streets.

“Maybe it’s a good idea they’re not hiding. To me, it’s a little disingenuous,” Darryl Beale said. “I think visibility is good.

“Yeah, they might not get that many tickets, but I think it’s better in the long run.”

Calgary has 10 photo radar vehicles and 55 intersection cameras, according to the city.

State governments did not respond to Global News’ requests for comment on the changes to photo radar enforcement.

— Using files from Megan Cobb for Global News

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