The Herndon Police Department is lobbying local lawmakers to allow the installation of red light cameras across the town.

“We want to make sure that we’re staying up with technology and we’re leveraging technology to work for us, because we want to be self-sufficient as a police department,” Herndon Police Chief Steven Pihonak told the town council last week (Nov. 5).

Virginia law allows jurisdictions to take their own initiative and install the cameras, which collect visual evidence of drivers violating traffic signals, based on certain population-related criteria.

But with a population of roughly 25,000 residents, Herndon has a bit more flexibility than most. Though state law generally allows cameras at one intersection per 10,000 residents, Herndon — as part of Virginia’s Planning District 8 — could install cameras at up to 10 different intersections.

Speaking to the town’s seven-member council, Pihonak argued that some of the town’s intersections cannot be adequately monitored by officers alone due to layout and congestion.

Implementing the cameras, which aligns with the Roadway Safety Action Plan that the town is currently developing, would greatly support efforts to limit crashes and related injuries across Herndon, Pihonak claimed.

“I think by putting these cameras in, we could definitely make a dent in that and send a message here,” he said.

Pihonak also noted that implementing the cameras would free up manpower across the police force. A private entity would bear the brunt of the efforts under the plan, and would operate and maintain the system.

Verified officers would then “inspect, verify and affirm and potential violations” captured by the cameras.

“We’re hoping to leverage this technology to free up our officers for other higher priority calls,” Pihonak said.

Civil citations would be issued to the registered owners of law-breaking vehicles, though no points would be issued to any drivers. Traffic light violations are punishable in Virginia with fines up to $350.

In order to move forward with the project, the town council must first approve an ordinance that allows the usage of such cameras. Then, once potential camera locations are identified, traffic safety studies must be performed in those areas.

The proposed initiative would supplement the town’s forthcoming real-time crime center, allowing the department to further centralize technological crime-fighting efforts.

“What this is going to do is harness all this technology in one centralized location,” Pihonak said. “A lot of police departments across America are going to these real-time crime centers [and] they pay dividends.”

While Fairfax County doesn’t have red light cameras, Fairfax City has operated a program since 2011, and Falls Church City has enforced red light violations as part of its photo safety enforcement program since 2010.