Activation of New Photo Red Light Equipment In West Bureau

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department today announced the reactivation of a Photo Red Light (PRL) system at the intersection of National and Sepulveda Boulevards, in Operations-West Bureau. The new Photo Red Light (PRL), the fourth of its kind in the city, is a monitoring system which records the license plates of vehicles that run red lights. In the near future, 28 additional locations will be outfitted with comparable equipment, totaling 32 intersections Citywide.

In June 2005, after many years of contending with poor quality photographs from the previous PRL vendor, the City declined to renew the provider’s contract. In November 2005, the City Council approved a new vendor, Nestor Traffic Systems, Inc. The new vendor’s technology delivers significant improvements over the former systems. Nestor’s dual-digital video camera system records violators as they approach and travel through an intersection, after the light has changed to red. The vehicle license plate is photographed from both the front and rear.

With the installation of the new system’s rear-facing cameras, officers anticipate a marked increase in the likelihood of convictions. At the moment the light turns red, the new cameras will record the precise position of the violator’s vehicle in relation to the intersection signal light.

The digital video systems will record 30 still frames-per-second for each violation, allowing a greater opportunity to capture a clear photograph of the driver.

The new systems also allow officers to monitor and adjust the equipment remotely via satellite. Further, live photographs of an intersection can be obtained during a breaking emergency.

The LAPD and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation will monitor the new systems and analyze results before determining deployment locations of the 22 remaining systems.

A sergeant and four officers will be assigned full time to administer the program. They will use a laptop computer in court to present the digital evidence during disputed cases.

Media inquiries regarding this system may be referred to Sergeant Matthew MacWillie, Traffic Coordination Section, at 213-847-1705.

A list of the current and former Photo Red Light intersections is available from Media Relations Section.