HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Hattiesburg Police Department officers using hand-held radar cameras are officially posted up on the corner of Hardy Street and 21st Avenue near Woodley Elementary and West 7th Street near Grace Christian Elementary. Right now, HPD is only using the new technology in the two school zones as a part of the pilot program, but if all goes well, they plan to spread this to the other school zones in the fall. The city wants people to know these cameras are not automatic but will be used to assist officers in catching speeding drivers. “These cameras are not automated, and those are the ones that are prohibited by law,” said Tate Rutland, HPD public information officer. “So, the cameras are triggered by an officer operating the radar gun on the scene.” HPD said once an officer notices a car that appears to be driving fast, the officer will then uses the radar gun to verify the speed. The camera will capture a picture of the driver’s license plate and a video of the incident. City officials say the system is working as expected, and drivers who were caught speeding in the school zone while the lights are flashing could receive a ticket in the mail. Potential violations will first be reviewed and verified before a citation is issued.  Police hope the enforcement of school zone speed limits will change people’s behavior when driving through a school zone. “Ultimately our goal with this initiative is to help people to stop speeding in the areas where our youngest members are present,” said Rutland. We hoped for an estimation of the number of potential violators on the first day, but HPD says those numbers are not yet available. Copyright 2024 WDAM. All rights reserved. This story was originally published at WDAM

After weeks of community meetings where Hattiesburg residents could voice their opinions and concerns about using cameras to supplement police activities, city officials are rolling out a pilot program to test whether camera-assisted radar can encourage motorists to slow down in school zones. In March, Hattiesburg City Council voted unanimously to launch the pilot program at two schools, which if successful, will be added at schools citywide when the next school year begins in the fall. The pilot program will begin Monday at two schools, Woodley Elementary and Grace Christian. Hardy Street near 21st Avenue will be the test site for Woodley, and West Seventh Street near Grace Christian will be the location for that school. The radar units will capture the speed and record the license plates of vehicles as they pass through the designated areas. The owners of the vehicles determined to be speeding will be sent citations. Police officers in the designated zones will operate the devices, but because they don't have to pull over motorists, they can tag more speeders. “We have fielded enough complaints and I have seen enough close calls with people not caring or not paying attention as they drive in active school zones,” Mayor Toby Barker said in a news release. “The goal of this technology effort is to help change behavior. Additionally, the pilot program will allow us to work out any logistical issues and provide the police department with data that can provide for expansion of the program in other areas if successful.” The pilot program is expected to run through the end of the school year. After reviewing data and how the program is rolled out, Hattiesburg police will work with the mayor’s office to see how it can be expanded to other school zones beginning in August, according to a news release. “We are proud to join other departments across the country in the use of technology to assist officers in their roles of protecting and serving our residents — especially our youngest and most vulnerable,” Hattiesburg Police Chief Hardy Sims said in the release. “Too often, motorists ignore the warnings, crossing guards and multiple signs and lights as they drive through school zones. It’s not OK. This technology will not only help us crack down on those speeding violations but will help us drive home the importance of driving safely in and around school zones.” The camera-assisted radar technology was among several measures considered by city officials. Other technologies were considered during the community meetings One idea the city introduced during the public forums was using drones as first responders, which could improve emergency response times for police and fire calls and possibly de-escalate situations before they get out of control or get closer to a fire to give visuals before firefighters enter a burning building. In addition to drones, the city is looking at using radar and camera equipment to take pictures of all vehicles and license plates to determine whether the vehicles are insured. Uninsured motorists would be sent a citation and given options to pay the fine, go to court or go through a diversion program. Insurance would have to be purchased in any case. Barker said in February that slowing motorists in school zones was a priority. “With any potential initiative, we give the public ample opportunity to weigh in," Barker said. "We did that with the Technology for First Responders conversation, and we appreciate everyone who offered input. That feedback helped shape this first phase we are launching.” The camera-assisted radar program is implemented through technology provided by a third-party contract with Intellisafe, approved by City Council on March 19. Motorists who are sent citations will have an opportunity to complete a diversion program to be eligible for a reduced fine. Fines collected from the citations will be used to pay for the third-party service agreement and provide revenue for the city and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. For more information, call Barker's office at 601-545-4501. This story originally published at Hattiesburg American

HATTIESBURG, Miss. ( WHLT ) – With unanimous approval of the Hattiesburg City Council, the city will formally launch a pilot program on Monday, April 22, 2024, that will provide the Hattiesburg Police Department with radar camera-assisted support for the enforcement of school zone speed limits. The first two areas for the program’s launch include Hardy Street near 21st Avenue for Woodley Elementary School and West 7th Street near Grace Christian School. While the radar cameras will not replace the officer, officials said they will allow officers to catch more speeders with radar camera technology. “We have fielded enough complaints and I have seen enough close calls with people not caring or not paying attention as they drive in active school zones. The goal of this technology effort is to help change behavior,” said Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker. “Additionally, the pilot program will allow us to work out any logistical issues and provide the police department with data that can provide for expansion of the program in other areas if successful.” The program’s launch is intended for the last four to five weeks of the school year. After reviewing data and how the program is rolled out, the Hattiesburg Police Department will work with the Mayor’s Office to see how it can be expanded to other school zones beginning in August. “We are proud to join other departments across the country in the use of technology to assist officers in their roles of protecting and serving our residents – especially our youngest and most vulnerable,” said Police Chief Hardy Sims. “Too often, motorists ignore the warnings, crossing guards and multiple signs and lights as they drive through school zones. It’s not okay. This technology will not only help us crack down on those speeding violations but will help us drive home the importance of driving safely in and around school zones.” The program is implemented through technology provided by a third-party contract with Intellisafe. This contract was approved at the March 19, 2024, meeting with the Hattiesburg City Council. Within the agreement, officials said a diversion program will be offered to offenders who receive citations for speeding in school zones. If an offender chooses the diversion program, they will be eligible to pay a reduced fine. Part of that fine will pay for the service agreement with Intellisafe, and part will provide revenue to the City of Hattiesburg and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. This story was originally published at WHLT