The Crestview City Council unanimously approved the installation of school zone speed detection cameras at four local schools during its Monday meeting, finalizing a measure aimed at protecting students from dangerous speeding violations.
- The council voted 5-0 to pass Ordinance 1998 on second reading, authorizing cameras in school zones at Davidson Middle School, Crestview High School, Northwood Elementary and Riverside Elementary.
“I don’t think it’s any secret I’m not a big fan of cameras, but when it comes to speed cameras protecting the kids, I’m for it,” Mayor JB Whitten said during the meeting, referencing a recent 30-day warning period in Fort Walton Beach where authorities issued 3,000 warnings, including one vehicle traveling 60 mph in a school zone.
Councilman Shannon Hayes voiced strong support for the measure, noting it aligns with similar initiatives throughout Florida. “We have a problem with speeding in the state of Florida,” Hayes said. “Anytime that we can do something to improve the safety of our community, I’m definitely going to be in support of that.”
The program, authorized by recent changes in Florida law, will target only vehicles exceeding the school zone speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour. The cameras will operate during specific time windows:
- 30 minutes before and after the start of breakfast programs.
- 30 minutes before and after the beginning of school sessions.
- Throughout regular school hours.
- and 30 minutes before and after the end of school.
Violators will receive a $100 fine and will have 30 days to either pay, submit an affidavit establishing an exception, or request a hearing. If the vehicle owner fails to respond within that timeframe, a uniform traffic citation will be issued and sent to the Okaloosa County Clerk of the Court.
Before full enforcement begins, the city will conduct a mandatory 30-day public awareness campaign during which only warnings will be issued. City staff indicated the education effort will include signage and community outreach.
During public comments, resident Chad Crandall expressed concern about removing police presence from school zones, suggesting that visible law enforcement might be more effective than cameras with an enforcement threshold of 11 mph over the limit.
- “If there’s no blue lights, are people going to slow down when they know they got 11 miles an hour leeway?” Crandall asked the council.
Councilmember Ryan Bullard questioned why Bob Sikes Elementary School wasn’t included in the camera program. City staff explained there wasn’t sufficient traffic in that area to warrant installation.
The staff report noted that the program is designed to be flexible, allowing the city to adjust enforcement hours or add additional school zones in the future based on traffic studies or community feedback. The ordinance also specifies that recorded video or photographs collected by the speed detection systems must be destroyed within 90 days after the final disposition of the recorded event.
According to the ordinance, there are no upfront costs for equipment or installation.
