Vandals take toll on speed cameras

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By Kristi Jourdan THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The call came in at 8:30 a.m.

Montgomery County police arrived at the Germantown crime scene near the intersection of Wisteria Drive and Misty Meadow Terrace to find a mess of green and yellow spray paint. Underneath it all, one of the department's 60-some speed cameras was temporarily blinded.

Taunting the authorities was a painted smiley face staring out from the padlocked steel box that protects the camera's computer equipment.

The strong feelings elicited by the cameras, which have taken the form of vandalism in more than two dozen cases in Montgomery County, are something other jurisdictions will likely face in coming weeks as they decide whether to place cameras on their own roadsides.

Montgomery County is currently the only Maryland county authorized to use speed cameras, but a state law that takes effect Oct. 1 authorizes cities and other counties to deploy the devices.

The Baltimore City Council passed legislation in August authorizing cameras to begin operation when the statewide law goes into effect.

Baltimore County will vote on whether to authorize cameras at a county council session Tuesday.

In the D.C. suburbs, the town of New Carrollton in Prince George's County has approved cameras. Berwyn Heights will take up the issue next week, and District Heights officials are also interested in using cameras, as is the city of Frederick. The town of Cheverly is expected to pass its own legislation in October, though it's not clear when or if cameras would be put on the streets.

"It won't hurt to have the legislation on the books, but we may or may not use it," said Cheverly's town administrator, David Warrington. "It's an umbrella in the trunk - if it rains, you have it."

The town will test out one mobile camera, and its location will be updated daily on the town's Web site, he said.