The Philadelphia Inquirer reveals that the city issued thousands of red light tickets in error. A total of 4390 motorists will receive a refund, for a total of $439k. The error came to light in the case of Mike Kochkodin; the 59-year-old motorist received a ticket on March 17 for allegedly entering an intersection two-tenths of a second after the light turned red. Last month, a Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) adjudicator summarily dismissed Kochkodin’s case, noting that the city had promised not to take photos until a third of a second had elapsed. “We did not know the magnitude of the problem, nor did the contractor report it,” PPA Executive Director Vince Fenerty told the Inquirer. “Should we have looked further? Most definitely. We didn’t.” Fenerty suggested the error was caused by the February switch from cameras that use 35mm film to fully digital camera technology. Philadelphia seems unaware of its own ordinance, which bans the use of digital technology. “Photographs collected as part of the automated red light enforcement system must be 35-millimeter film only, must only record traffic violations and may not be used for any other surveillance purposes,” Philadelphia Code 12-3012 states. The provision was initially authored by state lawmakers as a means of ensuring the lucrative contract landed with campaign donor Affiliated Computer Services (ACS). Once the provision was publicized, however, PPA selected a less controversial vendor. Between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, the system issued 89,156 tickets worth $8,915,600 at just ten intersections. ATS banked $2,835,952, while ACS took $134,232 for collection services. [click here for the full story from thenewspaper.com]

Australia’s Redflex Traffic Systems announced today that they’ve been approached by unnamed buyers. The offers follow last month’s announcement that Goldman Sachs had acquired a minority stake in photo ticketing rival American Traffic Solutions (ATS). It also follows a 43 percent increase in traffic ticket revenue from the United States; the total number of ticket cameras soared from 877 to 1267. As home values continue to decline, property tax income likewise falls off; leaving cities and counties struggling to find money to fund expensive new social programs. Redflex offers “turnkey” red light camera and speed camera solutions (view a sample presentation). With no effort or cost exposure, many government officials see nothing to lose by signing up to allow either Redflex or ATS to issue tickets on its behalf. It’s afterwards, when the public objects, that common sense prevails. Meanwhile and in any case, Redflex’s suitors know it’s a growth industry. [click here for the full story from thenewspaper.com]

After a series of trials, the British Home Office is set to approve the SPECS3 “distance over time speed measuring device.” SPECS3 uses an ISDN connection to transmit data between any two cameras in the entire road network, without the need for the expensive dedicated connection. The system can also track drivers as they change lanes and as they switch between different roads and highways. The Transport and Climate Change commission estimated that new cameras could monitor every driver on 31,136 miles of principal rural and urban roads for £443,687,656 ($769,693,415). Chicken feed. The commission noted that “enforcing the 70 MPH limit using SPECS would pay for itself within around two years.” (Between 2000 and 2005, a single camera in Nottinghamshire generated 76k tickets worth £4.2m/$7.2m). Once established nationwide, a central government Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) server will store records on all vehicle movements for five years. Work on the data center in north London began in 2005; officials expect real-time, nationwide tracking capability by January.  [click here for the full story from thenewspaper.com]

Police in San Jose, California urged a city council transportation committee to drop plans to install red light traffic cameras in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley. “Studies reveal an awful lot of ambiguity and dissonance,” Deputy Chief Donald Anders explained. “Some jurisdictions have noted a reduction in their traffic accident rate. Other jurisdictions have noted an actual increase in their traffic accident rate. The reason for that increase primarily seems to be rear end accidents.” San Jose police conducted a 39-week evaluation of traditional enforcement efforts. Forty-one officers conducted a highly visible intersection ticketing blitz in four zones containing areas with the highest accident rates. When ticketing patrols were active, the rate of accidents attributed to red light running was 0.6 crashes per week. “By national standards, our injury crash rate is approximately fifty-percent of the rest of the country — an indication that with the limited staff we have in traffic enforcement that we’re actually being quite effective and efficient with our efforts as they stand,” Anders said. Police Chief Robert L. Davis filed a written report asserting that a red light camera program would divert Special Enforcement Team officers away from duties such as conducting DUI roadblocks. Councilman Sam Liccardo asked the department to conduct another report, this time focusing on the experience of nearby cities with active red light camera programs. [click here for the full story at thenewspaper.com]

Texas is one of fewer than a dozen states that prohibits warrantless searches of motorists. Random roadblocks have been unlawful since a 1994 state appeals court decision ruled that they must be pre-approved by a “politically accountable governing body at the state level.” Thanks in part to pressure from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is now considering the Texas Public Safety Commission’s written request to approve random roadblocks under its own authority. (Note the politically-shaded euphemism “drivers license checkpoint.”) This is the same august body in front of which a twenty-seven year veteran of the state police testified about drunk driving (DWI) arrest quotas. “Some of the troopers that have earned vacation and putting in requests for vacation are being told that their vacation request will not be considered unless they are getting a certain amount of DWIs,” retired Trooper Coy Lorance told the quango. [click here for the full story from TheNewspaper.com]

A senior Edmonton Canada police officer was back in court yesterday, as trial court proceedings began to determine whether his authorship of a fraudulent memo on behalf of a photo radar firm constituted a crime. Detective Thomas Bell, 50, is one of several Edmonton Police Service officers who accepted lavish gifts and other benefits between 1998 and 2004 from Affiliated Computer Services (ACS). That’s the same company that received a police recommendation for a no-bid contract worth $90m to run the city’s speed cameras. Bell’s downfall came when he put his name to a memorandum designed to single-out ACS as the only firm capable of operating the lucrative speed camera program. As reported by the Edmonton Journal, an anonymous March 2004 email from within the department kicked-off the investigation into Bell. According to reports, over the last year– while Sgt. Bell was in charge of the speed enforcement unit– ACS sent the officer on several junkets, and blessed Bell with free lunches, dinners, golf tournaments and banquets. (Former Deputy Police Chief Darryl da Costa narrowly escaped internal punishment for violating ethics rules for taking free hockey tickets and meals. The statute of limitations had expired by the time the allegations surfaced.) If convicted of breach of trust, Bell would face a maximum sentence of fourteen years in prison. [click here for the full story from TheNewspaper.com]