T-R PHOTOS BY JOE FISHER — Police Chief Mike Tupper voiced his support for automated traffic enforcement as a tool to help police slow drivers down as well as keeping his officers safe. He noted traffic enforcement is one of the most dangerous aspects of law enforcement.

Automated traffic enforcement may soon become a reality in Marshalltown.

The police department, with an assist from the council, has been investigating the use of mobile and stationary traffic enforcement technology. The MPD already employs the use of a radar trailer which notifies drivers of their speed and collects data. This new technology would take it a step further and actually create speeding tickets for offenders.

“Speeding is a complaint we get on a regular basis,” said Cpt. Chris Jones, who led the department’s research team. “As we put the speed trailer in one neighborhood, that would give our officers availability to enforce in other neighborhoods.”

Tickets would need to be approved by the department before being delivered to speeders. Jones noted a ticket from this system would not impact a person’s insurance or their driving record as it is a civil citation.

Councilman Gary Thompson questioned whether there was a financial motivation in using this technology to catch speeders.

Cpt. Chris Jones led the charge in researching automated traffic enforcement options and how it could help curb speeding in Marshalltown. He shared his insight with the city council on Monday.

“Our intent is to change driving behavior,” Jones responded.

During council meetings in recent months, Chief Mike Tupper has discussed the strain on his department as it operates understaffed. He has brought several ideas forward as “force multipliers,” or tools to assist police in their duties.

On Monday, he discussed how automated traffic enforcement could do more than assist daily operations and also help keep officers safe.

“We’re not going to stop doing traffic enforcement,” Tupper said. “But traffic enforcement is one of the most dangerous things a police officer can do.”

Councilors Dex Walker and Mike Ladehoff volunteered to help the department as it researched automated traffic enforcement options last month. They later enlisted the help of fellow councilor Al Hoop, the longest tenured current council member.

“As the culture of driving in the community shifts, slower speeds are the goal,” Walker said. “This is an opportunity for Marshalltown to meet one of its goals: being welcoming to folks on bicycles (and) having a vibrant downtown with people moving back and forth on foot.”

In addition to a mobile traffic enforcement trailer, the department is also considering fixed devices which would be located at troublesome intersections. Tupper suggested between three and five intersection cameras.

The police and council research team met with at least one vendor which would oversee the use of the technology. According to Walker and Jones, there is no up-front cost for the city to start using this equipment.

If the department was to begin using this equipment, it would notify the public beforehand, Walker said.

“I really like that there is the ability for us to have a warning period as the community gets used to us having this tool,” he said. “Everybody gets the picture that this isn’t a street racing town. This is a town that values safety.”

The council approved directing staff to request proposals for one mobile and three fixed automated enforcement devices. The next steps will be finding a vendor to work with and selecting where the devices will go. The mobile unit will be moved as needed to problem areas.

It could take between six and nine months for implementation, according to Jones.