The Region : Police to Test Photo Radar

The Pasadena Police Department has scheduled a Sept. 25 test of a controversial radar device that photographs speeding drivers and produces up to 260 violation notices an hour. The photo radar takes a picture of the driver’s face, the license plate number and the vehicle’s speed indicated on the radar. The city has agreed to a month’s trial of the device if the test is successful. The Swiss-built photo radar is used in 30 countries, according to Traffic Monitoring Technologies, the U.S. distributor. No U.S. city is using the system, although Paradise Valley, Ariz., is set to begin in the next few weeks. Several cities discontinued use of the photo radar after protests from motorists.