WASHINGTON – Some drivers like speed cameras. Other drivers hate them. For police, it’s about keeping the public trust.
At a speed camera symposium last week, police departments across Maryland came to Bowie, Md. to talk about radar, lasers and how to run a good speed camera program.
“I know that every body’s intentions is to implement speed cameras that has reliability and integrity,” said Capt. Thomas Didone of the Montgomery County Police Department.
A member of the Maryland Drivers Alliance, which opposes speed cameras, tried to attend the meeting but was escorted out. The group is crying foul, but Didone says the meeting wasn’t public.
“This was a training meeting, we wanted to let them have open discussions. We offered to present the same information to the driver’s alliance.”
When asked about speed camera problems in Morningside, Md., featured in a recent Ticketbuster report, Didone wouldn’t specifically comment. But he did say being open and transparent is important as well as acknowledging mistakes.
“We strive for perfection, but we recognize that as long as humans are involves, no program will be perfect,” he said.
“The media isn’t the bad guy, how you manage your media relations are important for the success of any program.”
WTOP’s Ari Ashe contributed to this report. Follow @AriAsheWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.
