Sherwood to pilot two mobile speed cameras with 30-day educational rollout

Sherwood officials presented plans to pilot two mobile speed cameras as part of a broader traffic‑safety effort, saying the devices will be deployed on a year‑long test contract and funded by violator payments.

During the board’s Jan. 24 meeting, Speaker 5 summarized the program and timeline, saying the council approved purchase of two cameras under a one‑year contract and that the city expects procurement to take about 90 days. “We’re gonna be out in May, and we’re gonna give a 30 day grace period on this. We want it to be educational,” Speaker 5 said, emphasizing that the initial phase is intended to warn drivers rather than immediately issue citations.

Staff described the cameras as battery‑operated and vendor‑maintained; Speaker 6 added that vendors will handle calibration and maintenance. “They calibrate them just like they do the lights here,” Speaker 6 said, noting the vendor will swap batteries and handle equipment upkeep so city crews are not required to install or permanently affix the units.

Board members pressed staff on placement and outreach. Speaker 5 said sites will be selected from a combination of citizen complaints, enforcement data and automated device data, and that the program will likely focus first on neighborhoods and school zones. The city plans a public notification campaign limited to Sherwood — using social media, the city newsletter (the Archer) and the municipal website — and staff acknowledged some residents who do not use the internet will need other outreach.

Officials also said the city will lower the enforcement threshold in school zones: under the pilot, school‑zone citations are expected for speeds roughly 6 mph over the posted limit during school sessions. Speaker 5 said this adjustment aims to reduce dangerous behavior in areas with vulnerable pedestrians.

Law enforcement cautioned that citizen‑recorded video can assist investigations but requires follow‑up work to identify the driver before a citation can be issued. “We would have to be able to identify the driver … that person was actually operating the vehicle,” Speaker 6 said, noting motorcycles present additional identification challenges when helmets are worn.

Staff estimated the pilot could be in the field as early as April–June after procurement and set‑up. They characterized the initiative as an enforcement tool intended to curb speeding and distracted driving while minimizing surprise for the public during the introductory period.

Next steps: staff will finalize procurement and placement criteria, continue outreach, and brief the advisory board and council as the deployment schedule and site selections are refined.