Sheriff ends ‘speed van’ role

• By DEBRA LEMOINE
• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Jul 2, 2009 - Page: 1B

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LIVINGSTON — The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office will no longer implement the parish government’s photo traffic enforcement program starting today, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman announced Wednesday evening.

Citing ongoing issues with Redflex Traffic Systems, of Phoenix, the Sheriff’s Office will no longer participate in the photo enforcement program known as the “speed van,” Deputy Perry Rushing said.

“I still think now, and I thought back then, that this could have a very good effect on people’s driving and slowing people down if it’s implemented properly,” Rushing said.

Since the April 19 shooting death of a Redflex employee in Phoenix, the vehicles are unmanned.

Cameras attached to the vehicles snap photos of passing motorists and Redflex employees monitor video streamed from the SUV to Arizona, Rushing said.

As part of its role in implementing the program, deputies tell Redflex which areas to monitor for speeders, whether along Interstate 12 or Cane Market Road in Walker, Rushing said.

Redflex mails a “notice of violation” to alleged speeders informing them they are in violation of parish ordinances, Rushing said.

Redflex does not enforce criminal traffic laws, he said.

The final incident involving  Redflex that led to Wednesday’s announcement occurred around 11 a.m. Tuesday when the white sports-utility vehicle parked by a Redflex employee was towed from the Carroll Baptist Church parking lot in Walker.

The SUV was deployed on private property while collecting video of passing drivers without written permission from the church to park on its premises, which is in violation of Redflex company policy, Rushing said.

A Redflex employee also made inappropriate comments when retrieving the SUV from the towing company’s impound lot, Rushing said.

Another incident involved a traffic citation issued to a Redflex driver by State Police for improper lane usage along Interstate 12 on April 7.

In December, Redflex also caused some problems during the first 30 days of the program in Livingston Parish when it mailed tickets rather than warning drivers, Rushing said.