SPD says speeding down thanks to school zone cameras

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - According to the Shreveport Police Department, their school automated speed enforcement program is showing positive results.

Beginning in June 2022, the police department partnered with Caddo Parish Schools to launch a campaign to educate the public about speeding in school zones.

Before the program started, speed studies were conducted in 48 school zones. Over a five-day period, from 7 a.m.-9 a.m. and 2 p.m.-4 p.m., 438,541 vehicles traveled through the school zones. SPD says 210,156, (48 percent) of those vehicles were traveling 10+ miles over the speed limit.

The program started in August, with a 30-day warning period. They started in seven schools and have been adding cameras to additional school zones each month. SPD’s data shows that speeding was reduced by 22 percent during the warning period, when no citations were issued. They say results continue to show reduced speeding ranging from 78 percent to 94 percent within their sample set.

SPD says the program only enforces speed limits during school zone hours. A comparison was conducted between the two data sets (active vs. non-active enforcement), and it showed an inconsistent trend during mid-day hours when there is no active speed enforcement. They say while some schools found reductions in speeding, others showed increases.

Their study found that traffic has decreased in school zones by around 27 percent.

To keep the program transparent, drivers will see a “photo enforced” sign, their speed on a radar feedback sign, and a sign with school zone times or flashers. SPD says this gives drivers three warnings before entering the school zone.

Citations are issued if a vehicle is traveling 11+ MPH over the speed limit.

SPD says the camera systems use LIDAR, the same technology officers use to measure speeding. A third-party vendor trained by LIDAR manufacturers is required to re-certify each machine once a year. This is to ensure the technology works properly and accurately.

Officials say LIDAR runs a self-check every 35 minutes, that includes the camera. If all aspects aren’t working properly, the machine ill not capture a speed or image. It stays in an “error state” until a technician fixes the issue.

SPD says these “safety nets” keep incorrect data from being processed.

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