Palm Bay pauses school zone ticket program after police discover 'glitches' | FOX 35 Orlando
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Palm Bay pauses school zone ticket program after police discover 'glitches'

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Published  February 28, 2025 9:19pm EST
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

Palm Bay pauses speed zone cameras over ticket mix-up

School zone traffic cameras have been shut off for now in Palm Bay, as police have discovered 'glitches,' and wrong tickets being sent out. The Palm Bay Police Department is now investigating.

The Brief

    • Palm Bay Police shut off school zone traffic cameras after drivers received incorrect tickets listing the wrong locations.
    • An investigation is underway, but officials have not disclosed how many tickets were affected or how much will be refunded.
    • Some city leaders are calling for the cameras to be permanently removed, arguing they are ineffective.

PALM BAY, Fla. - School zone traffic cameras have been shut off for now in Palm Bay. The Palm Bay Police Department said some of the $100 tickets that have been sent to drivers are wrong.

‘They violate the spirit of what our Founding Fathers intended’

What we know:

Palm Bay police have shut off school zone traffic cameras following reports that some $100 citations were issued incorrectly. Several drivers came forward with proof showing discrepancies between the traffic cam location and the address listed on their tickets. 

In one case, a driver’s vehicle was captured near Palm Bay Elementary, but the ticket listed Odyssey Charter School—20 minutes away. The police department acknowledged camera "glitches" and has launched an investigation while the ticketing program is paused.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear how widespread the issue is and how many incorrect tickets were sent out. The police department has not yet disclosed the number of affected drivers or the total amount of refunds being issued. 

FOX 35 has not received a response from the company that installed the cameras, leaving questions about the cause of the errors and what steps will be taken to prevent future mistakes.

The backstory:

Palm Bay’s school zone traffic cameras were implemented to enhance safety by automatically issuing citations to speeding drivers. However, the system has faced criticism, with some questioning its accuracy and effectiveness. The latest errors, where citations list incorrect locations, have amplified those concerns and led to the temporary shutdown of the program while the police department reviews its reliability.

Big picture view:

The ticketing program’s suspension reflects broader debates over automated enforcement technology. While supporters argue that traffic cameras improve safety by reducing speeding, critics believe they are an unreliable and unfair method of enforcement. 

Some, like Palm Bay Councilman Chandler Langevin, argue that such surveillance measures overreach government authority and should be replaced with traditional police patrols. The controversy in Palm Bay mirrors similar disputes in other cities over the role of technology in law enforcement.

What they're saying:

Drivers impacted by the errors expressed frustration and concern over the reliability of the camera system.

"Something just doesn’t add up with them," said Timothy Gibbs, who received a ticket. "On the citation itself, it shows a completely different address which is on the other side of town."

"That’s not where I was," added Kelly Maron, another ticketed driver. "The location is not correct with where the camera location is and where the video of my car is."

"If they can’t get the location right, what else could possibly be wrong with them?" asked Gibbs.

Palm Bay police acknowledged the issue in a statement:

"We discovered glitches that had impacted some school zones… we are verifying again that all zones are properly labeled, flashers are correctly timed, and accurately monitored to prevent any future discrepancies."

City Councilman Chandler Langevin has called for the cameras to be permanently removed.

"We need to just turn them off permanently," he said, arguing that officers, not cameras, should be enforcing traffic laws. "They violate the spirit of what our Founding Fathers intended in this country. They didn’t intend robots and cameras to be on every street, watching our every move." 

He also questioned the necessity of the program.

"Our school safety is already where it needs to be, so this was a gimmick, this was a pitch."

What's next:

FOX 35 did try to reach the company that installed the cameras. We also followed up with the police and asked for the exact number of how many wrong tickets were issued. We also asked how much money the department is refunding because of the problems. We are still waiting for answers to those questions.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:

The Source: FOX 35's Esther Bower spoke with ticketed drivers near Palm Bay Elementary and investigated their concerns. She reviewed their tickets and obtained a statement from Palm Bay police explaining the suspension of the program. Bower sought further details from Lt. Virginia Kilmer but received no response by deadline. She also attempted to contact the camera contractor through multiple channels but did not hear back before this story was published.

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