By Bethany Adams, for the Tribune
CENTER POINT — During the month of November, more than 3,000 traffic citations were approved from traffic cameras throughout Center Point. In December, 22 were approved and nearly 5,000 are still in progress. Including the warning period that lasted the entire month of October, 18,703 citations have been made available for prosecution and 12,412 have been approved by city officials.
Photo by Bethany Adams
The program, which was originally implemented in 2011, uses a system of cameras in order to combat red light running, stop sign running and speeding within the city. The cameras, supplied by Arizona-based company Redflex, are located at a number of intersections throughout Center Point.
Despite the high number of citations, Mayor Tom Henderson said his office isn’t seeing near the number of complaints it did before the first time the program was shut down in 2012.
“It seems to be going good,” Henderson said. “I guess we’ve got a few people who don’t like to be caught breaking the law. But we haven’t had near the complaints we had last time.”
Henderson said he was unsure exactly why the complaints have died down other than maybe the public is simply more aware of their existence.
“They’ve been aware of the increase in the speeding and running of traffic lights in the time they were turned off,” he said.
Resident Ruth Crumley spoke to the council and stated that she has received two citations from the Redflex traffic cameras which she believes were unjustified.
“I was warned if I didn’t agree with the people that issued the tickets . . . that I would be charged an additional $25,” she said.
Barlow explained that, if a citizen wins the appeals process, the $25 fee will be refunded. “I would encourage anybody, if you get a ticket and you don’t think it was fair . . . you should appeal,” Barlow said.
Crumley, however, stated that she did not believe she would have received a fair hearing.
“I saw the video, but I do not believe that I did not stop,” she said, explaining that the video did not make it clear that she had failed to stop correctly. “So I paid the fees.”
According to Henderson, the number of ticketed individuals has gone down since the addition of a public safety director, who combs through all the video sent from Redflex.
“Three different people review them before they send the videos to us,” Henderson said. “Then our director of public safety goes over them again and decides which ones get tickets and which ones don’t.
“It’s a pretty good process there, and it cuts way down on the number of tickets that get sent out.”
84 Comments
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn
This is a money scam. Less tickets because people are refusing to drive through or shop in Center Point. Maybe they need to worry more about the crime and gunshots we are hearing every night. But no let’s ticket the older people for going over the line at the stop sign on Polly Reed road where most of the tickets came from. Funny how they put the camera right in front of the senior center
Gwen M. Youngblood
Yes! Since they are making so much money, let’s invest in more officers to fight the criminals and do something about the constant shooting. I am so sick of being scared inside and outside my home.
Allen Pugh
Keeps people from shopping and using Centerpoint businesses , hurts them in the long run
Justin Williamson
Unconstitutional
Christopher Oliver
Wrong on so many levels.
Michael Gallagher
You have a constitutional right (6th amendment), to face your accuser. Until that traffic cam shows up in court, I do not see any way it can be considered constitutional.
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn
Mrs. Crumbley said last night that she has lived in Center Point for 57 years and has never in her whole life of driving ever received a ticket from anywhere. Mr Barlow (council president) was rude to her. It’s ridiculous that they put money before safety of us. The cameras are and will always be about MONEY.
Christopher Oliver
Just for fun….19k tickets at $100 equals $1.9 MILLION in 4 months. That’s $5,700,000.00 in a year.
Nicole Gutierrez
Luis E Gutierrez
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn
I’ve also started a new group for people to help with ideals to stop all this nonsense from the “leaders” of Center Point.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/227367101048641/
The Trussville Tribune
The traffic cameras only provide video. The process in which the tickets are distributed is laid out in the story.
Darlene Blakney Murry
I recieved a ticket back when they first had them out 100 bucks
Terry Melvin
Boycotting centerpoint not a good place!
Scott Wheeler
Won’t shop in Centerpoint cause they don’t want to get shot,robbed,carjacking assaulted,beat up…,I lived there 15 years. Them thugs can have it…
Scott Wheeler
Should obey traffic laws and you will be ok…I’ve lived there , never got a ticket in 15 yrs…what does that tell ya????
Lesley Russ
Mary Ann Eubank
Michael Gallagher
I agree with obeying the laws, but shouldn’t they obey the laws too? That is, after all, how civilized society works.
Earl Gunter
I avoid center point because of this. Too easy for them to give a BS ticket.
Mike Haynes
Another reason I would not go to center point for any reason
Michael Gallagher
A ticket is issued by an “officer”, but do you get to face your accuser in court? Nope, he is in Arizona.
Mike Haynes
Midfield has cameras and they just randomly take a picture even when you are at a full stop five feet behind the line
Rickey Alexander
The things are busting people for rolling an inch over the line, time to clean house Center Point
Kathy Sills
It is a trap and a money pit….
Michael Gallagher
If the city viewed this as anything other than a revenue stream, they would never have been installed. They try to justify them as a public safety issue. As far as a public safety issue, I have to agree, but it is the cameras creating the safety issue. Do a little Google search on it. https://www.motorists.org/issues/red-light-cameras/increase-accidents/
Michael Gallagher
So the three people that review the video in Arizona are going to fly out and accuse me in court? The cameras are actually increasing accidents. Do your research.
Adam Wiggins
Question. How do they have the time to process that many court cases??? Even plead no contest that is a rather excessive amount.
Terrie Dollar
I dont shop centerpoint due to crime. Nor clay nor roebuck ever.
Brian Hallmark
Best to stay away from that dump town.
Carla Tramell Sweet
A lot of the tickets aren’t for people “blowing” a stop sign. A lot of these tickets are because people may have not stopped for a complete 5 seconds, or rolled a little bit over the white line–things a camera cannot discern. This is unconstitutional and I would fight it all the way.
Kaila Kristine Cherry
Brooke Naramore McKinney
Janice Richardson
I just don’t go to center point anymore than I have to. They got me one time and that’s all it took.
Sharon Blackwood Wilbourn
They just want people to go and pay it. What court?? On top of all that if you want to dispute the ticket you have to pay $25 per ticket. Another scam
Charles Moore
I shop in Trussville and Pinson I can get to interstate through Trussville and Gardendale I only have one vendor I deal with in Center Point ( my HVAC people who I highly recommend) so no reason to go to Center Point. Folks in charge wonder why nobody wants to locate here
Tommy Everett
A great reason not to do business in Center Point.
Danielle Files
Sabrina Scott
Kevin Small
The complaints may be down because people are just ignoring them this time around. And many who complained have never come back to the City. What a dumpster fire.
Kevin Small
They ticket the owner of the vehicle not the driver. Just curious if a city employee speeds in a city vehicle who pays the ticket? The city or the driver?
Karen Hurd
So glad I moved from Center Point, more concerned with weeds that grow faster than grass and if one weed is 10″ even if grass is 4″, you get a citation and the traffic crap! The crime and gunshots need to be addressed more than weeds and traffic!
Debbie Mitchell Davis
So what the hell are they doing with the money. Our neighborhood roads are horrible. They come through and put some asphalt in the hole and that’s it .What do we have to show for all that money. NOTHING.
Joe Domnanovich
Revenue cameras back in Center Point
James S Vining
This isn’t nothing but a revenue generator
Joey Blalock
They were removed from a city in South Georgia. Can’t prove who’s driving. State Supreme Court stated you can’t ticket vehicles but have to ticket driver! Scam
Hope Herrod
I would think this gives the police more time to actually patrol and deal with all of the ‘crime and gunshots’ rather than sitting on the side of the road doing traffic duty. Potentially leading to a safer community if this is done the right way. I have a hard time finding a flaw here. Obey traffics laws and if you think that you are ticketed unfairly, appeal and fight for yourself.
Also this program just started back up so when money is actually flowing in from the tickets then we can complain if we’re not seeing the money being used the way we see fit.
John Vining
Guess they better slow down!
Kevin Small
Except this a for profit private business issuing tickets with no due process. Who is holding redflex accountable for their scanners being properly tuned since more tickets means more money. Remember 60% or more of the ticket goes to an out of state business who has no legal authority to issue tickets. Scam. Scam. Scam.
Hope Herrod
If it provides more time for the police to actually patrol, then I’m fine with outsourcing the traffic citation part of police work. You still have the ability to fight the ticket if you choose. Center point has a lot of issues that need to be addressed, as long as this opens the door to that, good for them. Other cities with traffic cams have also shown a drop in accidents, another plus for me.
I agree with you about holding them accountable though. I’m sure you’ve raised concerns about this at meetings. We should all be concerned and asking questions like that. But I’m not going to write off something that could potentially help the city in the long run because it might inconvenience me to wait a few more seconds at a stop sign.
Hope Herrod
If it provides more time for the police to actually patrol, then I’m fine with outsourcing the traffic citation part of police work. You still have the ability to fight the ticket if you choose. Center point has a lot of issues that need to be addressed, as long as this opens the door to that, good for them. Other cities with traffic cams have also shown a drop in accidents, another plus for me.
I agree with you about holding them accountable though. I’m sure you’ve raised concerns about this at meetings. We should all be concerned and asking questions like that. But I’m not going to write off something that could potentially help the city in the long run because it might inconvenience me to wait a few more seconds at a stop sign.
Wayne Hicks
As much as I like Popeyes chicken– Don’t travel there anymore.
Mercedes Tiara
Teosha DeShaun Smith see man I know I’ve never ran that stop sign. They getting everybody.
Nancy Reyer McDuffie
I just received my ticket for going Over the line but I did stop, didn’t know stopping past the line warranted a ticket!
David Nichols
Another reason to NOT go into Center Point…if you can’t pay a cop to enforce laws ,then your just cheap
James S Vining
Hope Herrod but centerpoint has no police… except four contract deputies…
like Kevin Small, there is no due process, and no one held accountable for bad equipment.
Plus the fact that the ticket goes to the owner of the car, not the person breaking the law.
Rashel Wallace Rodgers
Alan Rodgers back up again!
Amy Stewart
I just received 2 tickets for just that. We are going to court. It’s crap. The photos show I’m stopped as does the video
David Logan
How about some civil disobedience? Some patriot needs to destroy these.
Joshua Painter
Centerpoint has become nothing but thugs themselves with these! Stop signs also being put in places they weren’t present beforehand for decades. Centerpoint has WAY bigger problems than people rolling through stop signs.
Calvin Burns
I see why I stop following this TT .. it’s just an outlet for racist white ppl to voice their opinion which is fine cause I’m respect that hell its their right but it’s just sad the to read some of these comments and the names they call the citizens of center point… smh ..
James S Vining
Yep, you have all the answers … I bet you’d be in favor of a precrime tax, just in case someone broke the law.
Kevin Small
Hope Herrod you do not have the same due process as you do with an officer initiated ticket. The courts do not hear this tickets. You do not get to face your accuser. Ref flex is not going to show up at your hearing. There is no judge. And it is my understanding that there is a fee to protest a ticket. Also a real officer will not write the ticket to the owner of the vehicle he will write it to the speeder.
This failed leadership is why Centerpoint is continuing to die.
Kevin Small
Hope Herrod a little peak behind the curtain. Both Pinson and Clay were approached by red flex as well and both cities saw it for the revenue scam it is. Also, you will notice the sheriff refused to let the center point deputies be part of this scam because he knew it violated title 5 of the motor vehicle code and denied due process since the tickets are processed by a private for profit company and not a court system.
Hope Herrod
So if I commit a robbery and it’s on security camera but there’s no witness in person then it doesn’t count? Because the camera can’t face me in court? I’m not trying to be a smart ass, I am really asking since that’s what the big problem seems to be.
Hope Herrod
Thank you Kevin for having a discussion instead of resorting to passive aggressive half insults.
Hope Herrod
The article says there is an appeals process. I don’t know the process so I can’t comment on it but it also says that a public safety director here in CP, not affiliated with the cam company has to review all tickets and approve or deny them actually being sent out.
Kevin Small
Hope Herrod no. It is perfectly usable because it would be used in a court of law by police officers. You would not be billed by a private company.
Kevin Small
Hope Herrod no. It is perfectly usable because it would be used in a court of law by police officers. You would not be billed by a private company.
Kevin Small
Hope Herrod no. It is perfectly usable because it would be used in a court of law by police officers. You would not be billed by a private company.
James S Vining
Nope, I didn’t run out of answers.
James S Vining
Nope, I didn’t run out of answers.
James S Vining
Nope, I didn’t run out of answers.
Kevin Small
Scott Buttram, I would be curious did you guys do an article of when these cameras were originally struck down. Did the city have to issue refunds? If so, did red flex also have to refund or did the tax payers eat the city’s loss on this.
Kevin Small
Scott Buttram, I would be curious did you guys do an article of when these cameras were originally struck down. Did the city have to issue refunds? If so, did red flex also have to refund or did the tax payers eat the city’s loss on this.
Kevin Small
Scott Buttram, I would be curious did you guys do an article of when these cameras were originally struck down. Did the city have to issue refunds? If so, did red flex also have to refund or did the tax payers eat the city’s loss on this.
Hope Herrod
Kevin, that’s definitely an issue that I would want more answers and transparency from the city government on. If it’s not fair in the same way of officers writing the tickets, then adjustments need to be made. I can’t say that it’s not appealing to free up the police the city does have to help make the city safer. Centerpoint definitely needs all the help it can get.
Hope Herrod
Kevin, that’s definitely an issue that I would want more answers and transparency from the city government on. If it’s not fair in the same way of officers writing the tickets, then adjustments need to be made. I can’t say that it’s not appealing to free up the police the city does have to help make the city safer. Centerpoint definitely needs all the help it can get.
Hope Herrod
Kevin, that’s definitely an issue that I would want more answers and transparency from the city government on. If it’s not fair in the same way of officers writing the tickets, then adjustments need to be made. I can’t say that it’s not appealing to free up the police the city does have to help make the city safer. Centerpoint definitely needs all the help it can get.
Scott Buttram
The Tribune wasn’t formally covering Center Point at the time that the cameras were first installed.
Scott Buttram
The Tribune wasn’t formally covering Center Point at the time that the cameras were first installed.
Scott Buttram
The Tribune wasn’t formally covering Center Point at the time that the cameras were first installed.
Felicia Hardin
My daughter got a warning in my car. Smh
Terry Melvin
Do not support centerpoint in any way stay Out!!!
Terry Melvin
Do not support centerpoint in any way stay Out!!!
Kevin Small
If Red Flex can make money, they’ll bail you for whatever they can.
Lamar Adkins
These are nothing more than traps so why would anybody want to drive to Centerpoint and do business. Ask yourself can you take a machine to court they can be manipulated like anything else
Gerald Hicks
I recently drove CP Parkway. Could not believe the speeders and the disregard of traffic laws.