The Daily Populous Thursday May 30th, 2024 evening edition
Authored by clickorlando.com and submitted by JBupp

EUSTIS, Fla. – The chief of police in Eustis, the first-ever city in Florida to install speed cameras in a school zone and send out tickets, got a surprise after activating the cameras on April 3.

Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri first installed the cameras in front of Eustis Elementary School on Feb. 21 because speeding was so bad he worried for students’ safety.

Capri said some drivers were tearing through the school zone at 80 miles per hour.

At first, the cameras only issued warnings. After reviewing the cars caught on camera speeding, the police department mailed out 800 warnings in about five weeks.

Now the cameras have been active and issuing $100 tickets for almost two months.

Capri expected drivers would have gotten the message from the warnings or heard the news that the cameras would be activated resulting in tickets.

But drivers did not stop speeding.

News 6 Anchor Erik von Ancken stood with Capri in full uniform on the sidewalk in front of Eustis Elementary, next to the cameras and directly under the yellow school zone sign.

Capri pointed out driver after driver speeding through the 40 mph school zone.

Capri said in the five weeks after the cameras were activated for tickets, the police department mailed out 1,300 citations. And those include several hundred questionable tickets that were voided because the department “gives the driver the benefit of the doubt,” according to Capri.

Capri said he was blown away.

“I didn’t think it would be that high honestly,” Capri said. “I figured the warning would have sent the message. Hopefully, the warning would have curtailed that behavior. Evidently, the warning didn’t do the job. I think once we hit the wallet, the pocketbook, you’ll realize $100 is a lot of money.”

Capri said even Eustis City staff members have received tickets.

“And let me tell you some of my cops have had tickets, city crews have had tickets, elected officials have had tickets,” Capri said. “They all got to pay.”

One driver was cited five times in two days.

“Sounds like a guy that doesn’t know what’s going on and that’s a problem,” Capri said.

Capri said his “biggest fear” is a child getting hurt by a speeding driver.

Capri said the tickets were not his first choice but he had to address the speeding problem in the school zone, as confirmed by a speed study. Capri said, “It’s not about the money.”

Yet, Eustis suddenly finds itself receiving revenue it never expected. Capri said all of the revenue will go towards public safety, like hiring much-needed crossing guards, installing more signage and adding speed cameras in two other school zones by the start of the next school year - one at another elementary school and another at the Eustis High School 9th grade center.

Capri noted every potential ticket is reviewed by staff and they always err on the side of the driver if there’s a question. The driver who was caught on camera speeding five times in two days ended up getting only one ticket.

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eyoung_nd2004 on May 30th, 2024 at 14:44 UTC »

“Capri said all of the revenue will go towards public safety, like hiring much-needed crossing guards, installing more signage and adding speed cameras in two other school zones by the start of the next school year”

Could officer Capri call my mayor in Chicago and tell him speed camera fines shouldn’t be relied upon as a slush fund for Chicago?

DontMakeMeCount on May 30th, 2024 at 13:07 UTC »

When cities installed intersection cameras in my area to catch people running red lights, the private company that operated the cameras reduced the yellow light times by a milliseconds. That change was enough to cause higher offense rates and some serious accidents. People know exactly what they can get away with.

Some enterprising attorney timed all the lights in the area so he had a baseline for new installations. The company was sued into oblivion and now all the cameras are just decoys. Fewer accidents, better behavior and no increase in fines.

BrorBlixen on May 30th, 2024 at 11:36 UTC »

With that many offenders there has to be an underlying cause. The police chief seems to admit that the signage isn't adequate and there aren't enough crossing guards. Why not address those deficiencies before going straight to law enforcement?