One Georgia Sheriff is speaking out against the speed cameras recently approved by a municipality within his jurisdiction.
Emanuel County Sheriff Jeffrey Brewer took to social media Monday evening to voice his opposition to the City of Swainsboro’s decision to implement unmanned speed cameras inside the city limits. Swainsboro is within the county jurisdiction of Emanuel County.
Brewer made the comments on his personal Facebook page, but implored the people of Swainsboro to contact their elected officials in Swainsboro to ask them to reconsider. In his lengthy explanation, he stated the cameras violate the constitutional rights of drivers who have the right to face an accuser and take away the presumption of innocence. “These devices are for nothing more than generating revenue,” he wrote before expounding on the Sheriff’s Office role in policing the school zones, where the cameras are to be placed, and ways the city could enhance safety, if that was the goal.
His post on December 2:
The Swainsboro City Council met on September 9, 2024. Below was copied from the minutes of their meeting.
2. A representative from RedSpeed was present to answer questions regarding the proposal to install school zone cameras. A Councilperson asked if the 65/35 monetary split was negotiable, and the representative stated that the split might be negotiable. Another Councilperson asked questions regarding the ticketing process, the RedSpeed representative stated that the cameras would be set up with an initial 30-day warning period.
A motion was made and seconded. The motion passed to install the speed detection cameras, five in favor & zero against.
I am posting this on my personal page because this is my opinion.
I have thought hard on whether to post this or not. I feel very strongly about this and feel compelled to state my thoughts.
City Councils are not obligated to ask anyone’s opinion. They are completely autonomous and answer only to the voters.
I am opposed to unmanned speed zone cameras. I believe these atrocities violate your Constitutional right to face your accuser and take away the presumption of innocence.
These devices are for nothing more than generating revenue.
These companies install these cameras at no cost to the city. As stated in the minutes, the city will glean 65% of the proceeds with no investment. To show this is for the money, one of the councilpersons asked if the percentage was negotiable (wanting a higher percentage).
The City of Swainsboro has no financial interest in the school system.
The School Resource Officer program is run by the Sheriff’s Office. It is funded by the Board of Education and the Sheriff’s Office. The City does not contribute to this program.
In the minutes, none of the proceeds are given to the Board of Education. The City alone benefits from the revenue. The City can, at their discretion, donate money or equipment to the Board, if they choose.
A law enforcement officer who runs radar has to (ocga 40-14-5a):
- Check the accuracy of the radar with a low-speed and high-speed tuning fork.
- Do an internal calibration test.
- Do a light test to ensure all elements are functional.
- This must be done at the beginning and ending of each shift.
If the radar fails any of these tests, it must be taken out of service.
Every year, a radar has to be calibrated by a certified radio technician (ocga 40-14-5a).
County and City officers must ask each person they stop if they wish them to perform an accuracy test on the radar. If they answer yes, the officer must then return to their vehicle and perform the above tests. Again, if it fails any of the tests, the ticket cannot be issued and the device must be taken out of service (ocga 40-14-5b).
The state legislature several years ago bypassed all these safety functions of the radar so these money makers can be installed.
When the legislature changed this from criminal to civil, they took our constitutional right to face our accuser away. They also took the presumption of innocence away. With this, you are presumed guilty and have to prove your innocence.
The accuracy requirements for the speed detection cameras are (ocga 40-14-5c):
- Maintain a log for the device’s self-test every 30 days.
- Perform an independent calibration test once every 12 months.
There is the possibility of error in the devices the legislature ignored. When these failures do occur, there is not an operator to catch it as in operator-controlled radars.
It was stated, these devices are being installed for the safety of our children. When I questioned the safety issues, none could be stated.
I asked the number of crashes or speeding issues in these zones; they could not answer.
The only traffic problem encountered is congestion during the first week or two of school and this is self-correcting.
If the city was truly interested in helping, their officers could direct traffic at SPS and PreK. This would relieve our SROs to return to the schools in the mornings to monitor students as they arrive.
Increasing revenue from these things to lower the millage rate is for all the wrong reasons. This statement was made to me, I did not fabricate it.
These cameras are being installed on South Main Street and Tiger Trail.
There is much more I could say but I’ll stop.
I urge you to contact your city council representative and ask them to reconsider the installation of these devices.
Brewer is not the first Sheriff in Georgia to speak out against the speed cameras. In August of 2023, Butts County Sheriff Gary Long blasted the City of Jackson for the same thing.
The cameras are operational in a number of areas across the state, including Guyton, Effingham County, Rincon, Stillmore, Vidalia, Soperton, Bloomingdale, Chatham County, and Richmond Hill.
