The Boise Police Department is responding to an increase in drivers who speed through red lights. The decision to use handheld cameras comes after calls from residents who complained about seeing people run red lights.
The Boise Police Department has caught red-light-runners in the act. The PD sent this video to area media, and we're sharing it with you via KBOI.
Lynn Hightower is with the BPD. She says officers are going where they know the problem exists.
“They’ve already hit State Street at a few intersections, they’ve hit Front Street downtown, some intersections on Cole Road," says Hightower. "Those are also high volume crash intersections.”
Here’s how it works: One motorcycle officer manually videotapes red light violators. Another radios the car's description ahead to a third officer who makes the traffic stop.
Hightower says video can be used as evidence and to teach drivers about their habits.
“Folks say, oh gosh, I thought [the light] was yellow or I thought [the light] was OK, or I thought I made it close enough. And with the video, [the red light is] pretty clear to see.”
Last year, BPD gave out 700 citations to drivers who ran red lights.
More than a dozen $90 tickets have been written since this new system started about two weeks ago.
Copyright 2013 Boise State Public Radio
