Cameras to catch speeders blocked

Lawmakers blocked a proposal Tuesday to allow Beverly Hills police officers to use cameras to catch speeders, saying it would put collecting fines above stopping dangerous drivers.

State Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) had written legislation for a test program in which Beverly Hills officers would hold a camera triggered by a radar gun that would record speeders. Tickets would be mailed to violators.

But the Senate Transportation Committee deadlocked 5 to 5 on the bill. Sen. Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach) objected that the system would let the driver speed on and not stop his or her dangerous behavior.

She also objected to the fact that the system would rely on a private contractor. “Basically, what it does is it creates revenue for a private company,” she said.