Title
Staff Report Seeking Direction from Council on the Red Light Photo Enforcement Program
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Redflex provides the City of San Leandro with Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE)-a system utilized to accomplish two primary objectives: 1) reduce traffic collisions at high-volume intersections and 2) automate the enforcement of red light violations. The current Redflex contract expires on April 20, 2019. Staff from both the Police and Engineering and Transportation Departments seek direction from Council on whether or not to renew this contract.
Recommendation
Staff recommends continuing the Automated Red Light Enforcement program through Redflex Traffic Systems. The system provides 24 hour, 7-day-per-week continuous monitoring of high volume intersections. The current program has had a direct positive impact on changing driving behavior at these monitored intersections.
Additionally, this technological force-multiplier augments the Police Department’s current traffic enforcement strategy, which has been adversely impacted by staffing shortages in the Patrol Division. Patrol officer shortages pull sworn staff from specialty assignments with no staffing level requirements--like the Traffic Unit. The Traffic Unit has not seen full staffing since 2009, which has had a significant impact on traffic enforcement service delivery to the community.
BACKGROUND
The City entered into the original contract with Redflex Traffic Systems (“Redflex”) on September 13, 2005 to administer its red light camera program. The contract was for a period of five (5) years with a sunset date of December 12, 2010. The City’s contract authorized an extension that expired on April 12, 2011. The City renewed its contract with Redflex on April 20, 2011, agreeing to an eight (8) year contract. The contract costs are $5,200 per month per site, which includes all associated technology and maintenance provided by Redflex. Police and Traffic Engineering staff identified the following original five (5) locations, dispersed throughout the City. Note that two cameras are utilized at the Washington/Halcyon-Floresta intersection.
1. Marina Blvd/Teagarden Street (eastbound)-implemented 12/13/05
2. Washington Ave/Halcyon Dr-Floresta Blvd (eastbound & westbound)-implemented 12/13/05
3. Lewelling Blvd/Washington Ave (eastbound)-implemented 12/13/05
4. East 14th Street/Fairmont Dr (eastbound)-implemented 5/11/06
5. East 14th Street/Davis St (northbound)-implemented 5/11/06
The Lewelling Blvd/Washington Ave location was removed in the 2010-2011 time frame due to low violation rates.
Analysis
On April 18, 2011, City staff analyzed collision data associated with the intersections chosen (see above) and presented their findings to Council. The analysis spanned a four-year period prior to full ARLE implementation (5/2001) and compared that data to four years of full ARLE implementation. Staff observed a 30% decrease in collisions at these intersections, from 136 collisions down to 93. To meet Caltrans permit requirements, an additional ARLE study was completed in 2016 by Willdan Engineering. The study reviewed nine years of pre-ARLE collision data, nine years of post-ARLE implementation collision data, and a decade worth of citation data. A primary finding from the study was that collision rates at the four ARLE intersections are decreasing as compared to the eight non-ARLE intersections.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study completed in July 2016, “Effect of Turning On and Off Red Light Cameras on Fatal Crashes in Large U.S. Cities,” provided estimates of the effects of operable cameras and the effects of turning them off. The study found that after controlling for temporal trends in annual fatal crash rates, population density and unemployment rates, rates of fatal red light running crashes and of all fatal crashes at signalized intersections in cities with cameras programs were 21 and 14 percent lower, respectively, after cameras were turned on than what would have been expected without cameras. Rates of fatal red light running crashes and of all fatal crashes at signalized intersections in 14 cities that terminated red light camera programs during 2010-14 were 30 and 16 percent higher, respectively, after cameras were turned off than would have been expected had cameras remained.
Over the last five years, the red light program reviewed an average of 9,998 violations. Staff assigned to the program issued an average of 9,612 citations during that timeframe. For calendar year 2017, the Redflex ARLE system captured 14,432 violations and program staff issued 10,163 citations. Of those 10,163 citations, the violations breakdown as follows:
• Right turn violations = 88%, or 9,010 (this violation involves an offender driving through the right turn at greater than 15 mph)
• Straight through red light violations = 8%, or 842
• Left turn violations = 3%, or 311
Redflex provided data for calendar year 2017 that shows fewer than 5% of citations issued were repeat offenders-where the same driver was issued 2 or more violations. The 2017 repeat offender data breaks down as follows:
• 2 violations = 572 drivers
• 3 violations = 61 drivers
• 4 violations = 36 drivers
• 2017 total repeat offender violations = 4.6% (or 669 out of 14,432 violations recorded)
The red light camera program fines are collected and apportioned according to California Penal Code Section 1463.002. Each red light camera fine has a “base fine” of $100 with additional fees added to that amount, including a fee for DNA examination funding for criminal cases, which brings the total violation cost of over $500. Penal Code Section 1463.002 stipulates that the County of Alameda receives 21% while San Leandro receives 9% of all fines, penalties, forfeitures, or fees, of which red light camera violations would be considered “fines.”
Staff received Alameda County Superior Court citation data--between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018-that showed the Police Department filed 9,932 red light citations. Of those cases filed, 6,158 were upheld and 837-or 8%-were dismissed. Of those 6,158 citations upheld, 5,910 paid their fine in full, 2,805 still had outcomes pending, 248 provided community service in lieu of a fine, and 132 remained unpaid. The Court allows petitions to be made for economic hardship that would reduce or outright waive the fine. Between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018 the Court authorized a reduction in fines in 1,384 cases, or 23%.
Finally, based on 2017 Redflex data, drivers from outside of San Leandro disproportionately committed more red light violations than local residents. Of those 14,432 violations recorded, just 17% (2,762) were San Leandro residents (using the driver’s listed DMV address) whereas 83% (or 13,768) of violations recorded were drivers from outside San Leandro.
Previous Actions
• Council Resolution 2005-127
• Council Resolution 2011-080
Fiscal Impacts
Over the last five fiscal years (FY2014 - FY2018), the ARLE program averaged net revenues of $183,003. Program expenditures during that period averaged $432,507, while total revenues averaged $615,510. Using the same five fiscal years, staff found sworn officers issued on average 5,187 traffic citations, while Redflex staff issued traffic citations averaged 9,612. To roughly approximate Redflex staff productivity would require a minimum of two (2) sworn personnel and add roughly $480,000-based on the average total compensation budgeted in FY2018 for a Police Officer-annually plus any additional pension obligations.
Although the current program generates net revenues annually, the Police Department does not utilize the program for that purpose, but rather to advance the Council’s goal of providing high quality public safety to the community. It should be noted, however, that eliminating this program will most likely result in a loss of a portion or all of the annual $183,000 net revenues currently realized under the Redflex program. The current program is the most cost-effective strategy for enforcing red light violations.
Budgetary Impacts
All ARLE expenditure activity falls under account 10-21-021.
All ARLE revenue activity falls under 10-3403.
PREPARED BY: Scott Koll, Police Business Manager