Some, but Not All on Board with School Zone Cameras

TYLER — Traffic cameras in school zones: on paper, it sounds good. Smith County has bought five cameras that will rotate school zones strictly outside city limits, but KETK reports elected officials and neighboring cities are at odds over the decision. The Smith County Commissioners Court decided this week to put the safety cameras in the school zones. “You know, we have over a 150-160 school safety zones throughout the county and this is designed to assist law enforcement presence that’s there, to enhance public safety,” says County Judge Joel Baker (pictured).

There may be more than one hundred school zones in Smith County, but the cameras won’t be at zones within city limits. Tyler police have traffic enforcement officers unlike the Sheriff’s Department, which the cameras will help. Judge Baker says, “Having that presence there over time, people grow weary of that location. Understand, look, this is a school zone and it does reduce those speeds, saves lives, reduces injuries.”

Some believe the cameras are unnecessary. “There hasn’t been an accident in Smith County any one can tell me about involving a child and a vehicle in a school zone. It just hasn’t happened.” Smith County Commissioner Terry Phillips believes the motives for the cameras are financially driven. “There’s not a problem so why create and go beyond this? It’s revenue. This company wouldn’t be doing it if they weren’t making money. Purely revenue driven. My opinion.”