Third time’s a charm for Niagara Region and police?
The automated speed enforcement camera in front of Crossroads Public School in Virgil came down for a third time in less than a month on Tuesday. This latest vandalism incident is sparking more concerns about who did this and what police and the region, with whom a contractor owns and operates the camera, are doing about this.
Unlike the last two times, when the camera was sawed off at the base, this time the camera was sawed down closer to the middle of the pole.
Scott Fraser, the region’s associate director of transportation planning, says the region is aware of this most recent incident of vandalism and is working with the camera vendor to repair the speed camera and have it back and work “as soon as possible.”
Fraser also said that this time, the region is looking into having extra reinforcements to help prevent more cameras from being vandalized.
“We are also currently evaluating options and alternatives to best address the issue of vandalism of the automated speed enforcement camera near Crossroads, and this includes the potential of installing closed-circuit TV,” he said.
“We have not made a final determination about this option, but we are reviewing this possibility, which includes addressing privacy and technical issues, among others. The use of closed-circuit TV is common practice in the region to safeguard infrastructure assets and increase public safety.”
Fraser also said Niagara Region is not giving up on these speed enforcement cameras and said it is an important part of the region’s Vision Zero initiative, to decrease and eliminate serious injuries and deaths on regional roads.
“The presence of (automated speed enforcement) cameras has, overall, shown positive results in changing driver behaviour and reducing the number of speeding vehicles across the region.”
The camera at Crossroads Public School was originally supposed to be there until August.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service at (905)-688-4111 or Crimestoppers Niagara at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or crimestoppersniagara.ca.
