Authorities are urging drivers to be mindful of school zones as a new school year begins -- and are reminding drivers that mobile and fixed traffic cameras are there to catch them if they speed.
Officials with the New Orleans Police Department and Orleans Parish School Board said at a press conference Monday (Aug. 14) that more cameras, as listed by the city earlier this year, will be coming online in the near future.
Officials noted that a new fixed camera has been placed in the school zone by William J. Fischer Accelerated Academy in Algiers. Mobile cameras will also be deployed throughout the L.B. Landry – O.P. Walker College and Career Preparatory High School corridor during the year, NOPD Chief Michael Harrison said during a press conference outside of L.B. Landry.
Harrison stressed that traffic enforcement is intended to reduce crashes that lead to injuries and death.
"The children are our top priority, the teachers and the educators and the faculty are our top priority, and we want them to have a very great school year, so we're asking people to slow down because there will be consequences for those who are speeding in our school zones creating an unsafe environment," said Harrison on behalf of law enforcement and school officials.
School zone camera footage has shown vehicles speeding far over the 20 mph limit in some areas -- even reaching above 50 mph. Harrison called those driving behaviors "reckless and dangerous" as he advised drivers to keep in mind that school programs are back in session.
School zones are in effect between 7 and 9 a.m. and from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m. Harrison added after the conference that these zones are only in effect when school is in session.
To trigger a camera, a driver must be going at least 10 mph above the speed limit in a non-school zone and 6 mph faster in a school zone. The cameras will work 24 hours, changing the speed they are set for before and after school zone hours.
Harrison reminded drivers hoping to contest camera tickets that they will have "to argue against the technology" photographing their vehicles speeding. The process for contesting camera tickets can be found here online. Existing camera locations can be found here.
Monday's announcement also drew attention to the return of school resource officers on campuses citywide. The officers will work with students and administrators throughout the school year to build relationships that establish "positive encounters with law enforcement," Harrison said.
"Each NOPD district has a school resource officer that provides services and resources to the schools within their district," Harrison said. "They play an integral role in the NOPD community policing philosophy."
Harrison acknowledged after the conference that the NOPD does not have enough officers to put one in every school. He said each officer working the schools in their district will be communicating with school principals. The officers will network "primarily" with "high schools where there's the greatest need, and middle schools secondarily," he added.
He said "at some point" they will look into putting more officers at schools as the NOPD grows.
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