The District of Columbia's photo enforcement program, which over the past 15 months has dramatically cut red-light running in the city, is being honored as a national model of innovative partnerships between the public and private sectors to solve community problems.

The program, managed by the Metropolitan Police Department with the assistance of Lockheed Martin IMS , is one of six initiatives receiving awards from the DC-based National Council for Public-Private Partnerships at the group's annual meeting, Thursday evening, October 26, at the Wyndham Washington Hotel , 1400 M St., NW.

"Survey after survey of District residents indicate that unsafe driving in general - and red-light running in particular - are top public safety concerns of our citizens," said Chief of Police Charles H. Ramsey. "Through this partnership with Lockheed Martin IMS, we have been able to reduce red-light running by more than 60 percent at the intersections equipped with cameras. And we have been able to achieve this dramatic public safety benefit without expending a single taxpayer dollar," he said.

The District's photo enforcement program began in August 1999, with cameras at two intersections. Since then, the program has grown to include 39 cameras at high-risk intersections throughout the District. During this time, the number of motorists running red lights at these intersections has declined by 61 percent - the equivalent of 15,285 fewer violations each month at the intersections equipped with cameras. Through September 2000, more than 152,000 photo enforcement violations have been mailed, resulting in close to $7.3 million in fines collected by the District.

Here is how the program works: Sensors embedded in the pavement detect when a vehicle crosses the stop line after the traffic signal has turned red. Photographs of the rear tag are taken when the vehicle first crosses the stop line and again when it is in the intersection. The camera also records the date, time, speed of the vehicle, and the time elapsed since the signal turned red. The images are analyzed, extenuating circumstances are considered, and the registered owner of the vehicle is verified. A citation (including the photos) is then mailed to the vehicle owner. Motorists who receive photo enforcement notices have the same choices as those who receive running tickets issued by a police officer: pay the $75 fine or appeal the ticket to the Bureau of Traffic Adjudication .

The Police Department selects the locations for all red-light cameras, based on an analysis of crash data and input from police officers and the community. Lockheed Martin IMS procures, installs and maintains all equipment. The company also processes the film from all cameras and handles the processing, mailing and payment acceptance of all violations. The program is paid for entirely by fines collected from violators, with Lockheed Martin IMS receiving a commission on each citation that is paid.

"This technology has consistently proven to be a very effective deterrent to red light running in the U.S. and abroad," said John Brophy, Lockheed Martin IMS president and CEO. "We're pleased to support the Metropolitan Police Department in its efforts to dramatically reduce traffic-related injuries and save lives, and we're gratified by the program's success."

Lockheed Martin IMS, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lockheed Martin Corporation, is a leading provider of technology-based services to state and local governments. IMS assists its public-sector partners in harnessing innovative technologies to address complex public policy issues ranging from highway safety and traffic congestion to welfare reform and child support enforcement. The company provides photo enforcement services to 52 cities and counties in the United States, Canada and Australia.

The National Council for Public-Private Partnerships ( NCPPP ) is a membership organization representing both the public and private sectors that promotes the effective, cost-efficient delivery of public services through partnerships between government agencies and private entities. Each year, the organization presents its Public-Private Partnership Awards to those programs and projects at the federal, state and local levels that represent unique and noteworthy examples of public-private partnerships.

For more information about the awards, contact Rick Norment, NCPPP executive director, at 202-467-6800. Complete information about the District's photo enforcement program, including a map showing the locations of all cameras, can be found on the Police Department's Web site: www.mpdc.org .


Other Resources

• Automated Traffic Enforcement Program