Paul Houston is on a crusade against what he calls “mechanized, robotic law enforcement.”
The 63-year-old Denver resident is so opposed to photo radar and red-light cameras that catch speeders and over-the-line miscreants that he wants cities to outlaw the systems — or urge residents to take it upon themselves to see that the cameras are shut off.
“I don’t think it’s constitutional to have some robot send you a ticket in the mail,” said Houston, who for the past six months has been on the streets waving anti-photo-radar signs. “It’s a violation of the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable search and seizure.”
Houston is trying to persuade the Sheridan City Council to end its photo radar and red-light camera programs, which last year brought in $775,000 in fines to city coffers. Last month, he introduced a camera ban ordinance for council members in Sheridan to consider, and if they do not act this month, he plans to start a signature-collection effort for a ballot issue this November.
If successful, Houston said it would be the first ban on the traffic-control systems in Colorado brought about by a citizen initiative. Littleton is doing away with its red-light camera program this summer, but that decision was made by the City Council after statistics revealed that the cameras did little to reduce accidents in the city.
Houston hopes to eventually launch a similar effort in Denver — which took in more than $6.5 million in revenues from its automated camera systems last year.
Sheridan is one of 10 municipalities in Colorado that use either photo radar or red-light cameras, according to legislative research done on the issue. The systems generated $14.2 million in revenues for local governments last year.
Devin Granbery, Sheridan’s city manager, said the city’s net revenue from the program — which added up to less than $400,000 in 2014 and goes into the city’s general fund — isn’t a significant slice of Sheridan’s $9.3 million budget.
But he said the cameras allow him to assign patrol officers from the Police Department to duties more important than traffic control.
“It frees up resources,” Granbery said. “We see a more efficient use of our officers.”
He said residents in Sheridan mostly have been supportive of the city’s sole red-light camera and radar van, especially in school zones.
“We haven’t had a groundswell of opposition at all,” Granbery said.
But Houston, who lives near the Sheridan line in southwest Denver, said he’s getting a different reaction out on the streets with his anti-photo-radar signs.
“The noise of the horns is nearly continuous and very loud,” he said.
Traffic-control cameras have been controversial for years, cited by critics as mere cash cows for local governments. This past session, the state legislature passed two bills to outlaw photo radar and red-light cameras, or require voter approval of the systems, but the measures were vetoed by Gov. John Hickenlooper.
Houston said the traffic-control devices enrage drivers who are caught unawares and can lead to public corruption, due to the fact that most systems are run in partnership with a private firm. Last year, Sheridan paid Xerox just over $400,000 to operate its photo radar and red-light camera programs.
Even though he’s not a resident of Sheridan, Houston said he chose the city to begin his campaign against the traffic control measures because it’s small and can serve as a “proving ground.”
“Sheridan is a little city,” he said, “but you know how dominoes can fall.”
John Aguilar: 303-954-1695, jaguilar@denverpost.com or twitter.com/abuvthefold
Violations issued in sheridan
Red Light
Year — Violation — Net revenue (Revenue minus expense)
2011 — 4,203 — $38,354
2012 — 5,498 — $80,052
2013 — 6,419 — $133,460
2014 — 7,478 — $129,835
2015 — 2,850 — NA*
Photo Speed
Year — Violation — Net revenue (Revenue minus expense)
2011 — 9,571 — $433,625
2012 — 9,299 — $264,044
2013 — 8,555 — $290,052
2014 — 9,217 — $253,636
2015 — 3,186 — $82,440*
*year to date
Source: Xerox State and Local Solutions
