Traffic cameras expand to late nights, weekends
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By Mike Leidemann and Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writers
The state's traffic photo enforcement program is expanding to late nights and weekends, even as criticism mounted yesterday from some police officers and legislators.
During the first weeks of the program, cameras in four unmarked vans were operated in two shifts from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Now, the program hours are expanding, according to Department of Transportation spokeswoman Marilyn Kali.
"We're going to try different hours, days and locations," Kali said.
The state wants to vary the hours of operation to determine when and where the cameras are most needed and most effective, she said.
"There's no sense having them out on the highway at 7 in the morning if everybody is stuck in traffic and going only 20 miles per hour," Kali said.
In the next few weeks, the company operating the cameras will add more vans and a third shift of workers, allowing the program to expand into the weekends and beyond Honolulu to Leeward and Windward O'ahu areas. By the end of the year, the program should be operating statewide.
"Ultimately, the program will have the ability to operate 24 hours, seven days a week," Kali said.
The system, which uses lasers, digital cameras and computers to identify suspected speeders, began in December, first with warnings and this month with speeding citations sent through the mail.
The program has also been under increasing fire from drivers and some public officials. With the Legislature set to open tomorrow, the traffic cameras may quickly displace gambling, the economy and public education as the most potent political issue at the Capitol.
Yesterday, some Honolulu police officers expressed mixed feelings about the cameras, describing concerns about profit motives, less officer-to-motorist contacts, and reductions in overtime pay for off-duty officers who appear in traffic court, according to the police union president.
Tenari Ma'afala, president of the State of Hawai'i Organization of Police Officers, said he gleaned his information by chatting with other officers, but he said the union has not taken an official stance.
Ma'afala said the union's Honolulu chapter will meet tomorrow and will likely discuss concerns about the traffic enforcement cameras. SHOPO represents about 3,000 members statewide, two-thirds of whom are with the HPD.
"The bottom line is that there's mixed feelings about (the traffic enforcement cameras) from the officers I've talked with," said Ma'afala, who added the officers' concerns focused on the speeding enforcement portion of the program.
"If the company is fair and its primary focus is to make the community safe and eliminate speeding, then it's a win-win situation for us," Ma'afala said. "But if the primary goal is to make money off each ticket, then that's not what it should be about."
Some officers, Ma'afala said, have pointed out that the cameras take away the officers' personal contact and discretion with motorists. He said officers generally let motorists drive 7 to 10 miles above the speed limit and sometimes warn motorists instead of citing them. In comparison, the camera has zero tolerance, Ma'afala said.
"Police are not always about enforcing," Ma'afala said. "Police sometimes pull people over and educate them. It's up to the discretion of the officers."
At least one officer expressed concern about the speed cameras leading to the reduction in officers' overtime pay, Ma'afala said. Off-duty officers earn overtime when they go to traffic court to testify about speeding tickets.
While he understood the officer's concern, Ma'afala said he didn't agree with the thinking.
"I think the (traffic enforcement program) frees you up to do other things like report to burglaries, assaults, homicides and everyday police work," Ma'afala said.
On Friday, the state said camera operators reported receiving obscene gestures from the drivers' windows of marked police cars. Ma'afala said he found it hard to believe that officers in marked cars would act that way.
"If it's true, then it's sad," Ma'afala said.
Lawmakers said yesterday they expect lively debate on the traffic program and possible changes to it in the upcoming legislative session.
"The idea behind it was well intentioned, but the law is just not being implemented right," state Sen. Bob Hogue, R-24th (Kane'ohe, Kailua), said as the Republican lawmakers presented a package of bills to restrict the use of traffic cameras.
"It's clear Hawai'i residents do not want the traffic cameras," said state Rep. Kika Bukoski, R-10th (Upcountry Maui). "You can hear their frustration. The majority of people who are getting these tickets are just trying to get to work on time."
The Republican package includes proposals that would limit the cameras to school zones and make the camera tickets a citation instead of a moving violation, limiting their effect on insurance rates.
Others would revise the contract with the company operating the cameras from the current per-ticket payment to a monthly or annual flat fee; give control over the cameras to the counties instead of the state, and ask transportation officials to study and change speed limits on some highways.
Democrats also said they may consider some changes to the law.
"It definitely needs some tweaking," said Rep. Willie Espero, D-41st ('Ewa Beach), assistant chairman of the House transportation committee. "The issue has gotten everybody's attention, and right now they're not too happy with the technology. Because of the degree of discontent out there, we may have to relook at it and try to make it more acceptable."
Sen. Cal Kawamoto, D-19th (Waipahu, Pearl City), head of the Senate transportation committee, said he'll oppose any changes to the camera law.
"So far, the law seems to be working," he said. "People are slowing down, putting their brakes on. That's all we really wanted."
Reach Mike Leidemann at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com and Brandon Masuoka at 535-8110 or bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.
