TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa, you’re stuck with red light cameras for five more years.
City leaders approved a new contract with American Traffic Solutions on Thursday to keep 54 red light cameras active.
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"You're very cautious when you pull up to an intersection and you see a camera and you're thinking about running that yellow light or whatever,” explained one driver.
No matter if you love them or despise them, the new contract for red light cameras will bring new technology.
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"Tampa PD reached out and were like, do you have anything that can help us?" said Jason Norton, American Traffic Solutions.
When the Seminole Heights Serial killer was running from police, detectives used automated license plate readers to set up a “geo-fence” in the area and track him down.
The ALPR technology by American Traffic Solutions will now be available city-wide to Tampa Police.
"That will allow them to Silver Alert, Amber Alert, bank robbers, stolen cars. If that plate goes through one of our cameras, we will ding the police and they can act appropriately,” said Jim Norton, American Traffic Solutions.
The ALPR's can be moved around on a trailer, in police cruisers or mounted on poles.
Still, some city leaders think red light cameras don't belong here.
"When you hit a single parent or an individual that's working multiple jobs with a $158 dollar ticket, even in the appeals process... whatever the process is, that can set them back for a significant amount of time,” said Tampa City Council Member Guido Maniscalco.
