RPD Safety Camera Program shows drivers need to slow down
Jan 20, 2025
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond Police Department is urging drivers to slow down near school zones after the latest speed camera numbers.
The Richmond Police Department shared its latest annual statistics at a crime briefing on Thursday, Jan. 16. In the briefing, Chief Rick Edwards detailed numbers from their Safety Camera Program (SCP). Citations were mailed to drivers who went over the speed limit near school zones:
Patrick Henry School of Science & Arts -- 2923
Lucille M. Brown Middle School -- 1259
River City Middle School -- 2864
Swansboro -- 183
Frances McClenney -- 6006
Huguenot -- 1968
Bushall Middle -- 3833
MLK Middle -- 268
Westover Hills -- 25
Mary Munford --154
Linwood Holton -- 7256
*Started mailing citations since March 18th
A total of 26,739 citations were mailed out since the start of the SCP. The first two locations, Patrick Henry School of Science & Arts and Linwood Holton, began their citations on March 18., 2024. The rest of the locations started on October 1st, 2024.
(Courtesy of Richmond Police Department)
“This is a process that we utilize and I have to have officers review each one before the summons is mailed out,” Edwards said.
Edwards said his department mailed more than 16,500 citations from the nine speed cameras that went live in October. Speed cameras only operate from 7:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. or 7:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and from 2:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. or 2:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. on days when school is in session.
Ten thousand more citations were issued since March from the first two cameras installed.
Linwood Holton had 7,256 citations but on track to outpace Holton’s record, Edwards said, are the drivers near Frances McClenney.
"So that [location] has 6006 and that started in October,” Edward said. “So, the others had a much longer time. That will quickly overtake Linwood Holton.”
8news asked for more details about the amount being collected from these citations and what that money funds but have not yet heard back.
Two more speed cameras near Thomas Jefferson High School and Richmond Technical School for the Arts are set to come online by February 26.