By Emily J. Minor
Ocean Ridge Police Chief Chris Yannuzzi is looking into red-light and surveillance cameras for the two major intersections in the town of Ocean Ridge, and he’s including Briny
Breezes in that research.
If it happens, the Briny camera equipment would be at A1A and Cordova Road. The
Ocean Ridge equipment would be at Ocean Avenue and A1A and Woolbright Road and
A1A.
Yannuzzi, who was at the Briny Breezes town meeting on Aug. 26 to discuss his
department’s new contract for police protection that starts this fall, told
officials he’s just beginning to meet with vendors who could provide three
different kinds of options: Red-light and right-turn ticketing, general
surveillance, and license plate recognition cameras.
It’s too early to know what he might recommend, but Alderman Sharon Kendrigan liked what she heard. “We have a lot of red-light runners here,” she said. “That would be great if we could get a red-light camera.”
Red-light cameras — normally paid for by the installation companies, who then get a cut
from the tickets — have been making their way around South Florida, and creating some commotion.
West Palm Beach has been using them for a while, and Riviera Beach just installed dozens along their city streets. Yannuzzi said new state legislation that went into effect July 1 has laid better ground rules.
“Now that the law has been modified in the state, there are a lot of companies
willing to break ground,” he said.
The legislation spells out specifics, like ticketing guidelines and who gets what
money. With this new law, the state gets half of the ticket money; the company
gets one quarter and the town or city gets the remaining one-quarter.
In addition to the red light and right-turn option, Yannuzzi said he’s also
researching surveillance cameras that would tape video 24-7. Police wouldn’t
monitor that video constantly, but could replay it when researching a possible
crime.
“It would be used for evidence,” he said.
He might also like the idea of the license plate recognition cameras now used in
Manalapan. They can be programmed to alert police if a stolen car comes through
town. They can also keep track of the comings and goings of a suspicious
vehicle.
Still, Yannuzzi said he’s just begun his research and he’s not ready to make any
recommendations. “But since I was doing it, I wanted to make sure to include
Briny Breezes,” he said.
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