2nd Camera Installed to Catch Stoplight Scofflaws

The Beverly Hills Police Department has installed a camera that photographs drivers who run red lights at a second city intersection, officials said.

The new camera, at Spalding Drive and Olympic Boulevard, will snap photos of cars that cruise through red lights, said city spokeswoman Donna Reyes. A citation is then mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

Beverly Hills police began issuing tickets based on photographic evidence in June 1997, soon after a camera was installed at Wilshire and La Cienega boulevards.

Officials say the enforcement method is safer than having police pursue traffic light violators through busy intersections. Beverly Hills is among a handful of California communities using cameras to enforce traffic laws.