Posted on: Monday, September 10, 2001

Editorials
Traffic camera system better without profits

The state of Hawai'i is close to finishing contract negotiations with Lockheed Martin IMS to install traffic cameras at major O'ahu intersections to catch drivers who speed or run red lights.

As they hammer out the details of that contract, officials should take a close look at a recent ruling by a San Diego judge involving traffic cameras in that city. The judge threw out 300 tickets issued by the automated camera system.

That ruling obviously has no legal impact in Hawai'i. But the judge's reasoning was interesting and entirely relevant to the system about to be installed here.

The judge based his decision on the fact that there was a profit motive involved. Lockheed Martin would receive a cut of each fine paid based on the automated tickets. That is also the plan for Hawai'i.

This financial incentive, in effect, tainted the evidence, the judge ruled, so he threw out the tickets. But the court was clear that such automated surveillance can serve a legitimate public purpose.

Rather that launch a system that is bound to produce a bumper crop of legal challenges, the state should rethink its plans now. If the automated system makes sense, it should simply pay Lockheed Martin what it costs to install and maintain it.