Articles Tagged: traffic cameras

The use of cameras by law enforcement to automatically scan license plates and record vehicle information in an online database was limited in Eastern Iowa just a few years ago. But in recent years, the cameras have become a hot button issue on city council agendas across Linn and Johnson counties.

The city of Coralville is moving forward with plans to add automatic license plate reader cameras at several locations in town after the city council approved a policy for their use by the police department.

Around a dozen community members showed up for public comment at the Coralville City Council meeting Tuesday night to share their concerns about resident privacy should the city begin using license plate reader cameras.

Iowa is one of 31 states in the U.S. that requires vehicles to have two license plates displayed while driving — one on the front and one on the back of the car — with very few exceptions.

The Cedar Rapids Police Department recently finished installing 70 stationary license plate reader cameras, which scan license plates and run them through national crime databases to search for missing person alerts, stolen vehicle reports, and arrest warrants.

Also, under a proposed bill, the death penalty could be used for killing a law enforcement officer

Lobbyists for cities and traffic camera companies said the companies’ work is more efficient than government and ultimately saves taxpayers

The city of Marion has submitted a request to the Iowa Department of Transportation to appeal its initial denial of five stationary traffic cameras and two locations for mobile traffic cameras.

The city of Cedar Rapids has submitted an appeal to the Iowa Department of Transportation to approve the use of two automated traffic enforcement cameras that were rejected last month.

The Iowa Department of Transportation this week rejected permit applications for most of the automated traffic enforcement cameras used to catch speeding around the state, but the rejected cameras can still be used for red light enforcement.

The Cedar Rapids cameras that were denied permits issued more than 64,000 citations in 2023; city leaders have not yet said how they will replace funding from citations that supports police positions

The DOT on Monday approved only 11 fixed automated traffic enforcement cameras across the state while denying requests for 128 others

Changes to Iowa’s special education system, regulations on consumable hemp and new procedures for traffic cameras are set to take effect July 1.

A new bipartisan law would regulate the technology

A new state law requires Iowa local governments to obtain a permit to continue using automated traffic enforcement cameras beyond Oct. 1