Photo radar not replacing traffic officers: Regina police

Just because photo radar is in effect on Ring Road and in certain school zones in Regina doesn’t mean you’ll see fewer police officers out at those locations.

Sgt. Colin Glas in the traffic unit with the Regina Police Service maintains halfway through the two-year pilot project, there haven’t been any major differences with the way they do their jobs.

“It hasn’t changed on our side at all whatsoever. It’s not going to change the way we do things and I just hope that after this is all said and done with the pilot project, if it continues or if it doesn’t, that it just changes driver behaviour,” he explained.

One camera cycles between five different locations along Ring Road and another single camera also travels between five different school sites.

Glas reminded the public there is incredible value in having police roadside since officers can catch crimes cameras can’t. Nabbing a driver going too fast can sometimes uncover other offences such as a driver not having a licence or a vehicle that’s not registered.

But it’s not only about ticketing. He said it’s about educating drivers too. The mere presence of a police cruiser alone may force drivers to reconsider their speed or other traffic violation they may be committing.

“It doesn’t deter us from going out there and doing the job that we need to do. In no way is the photo enforcement going to replace officers from going out there and doing enforcement.”

While it might not be changing habits for police in terms of enforcement, it is changing how big the traffic unit is, Glas added. Three additional traffic clerks were brought in on the administrative side of things to help deal with the thousands of tickets that have been passed through the department since the pilot launched last year.