Bowie council approves new speed‑camera locations, adds Trinity block and plans rotating cameras

The City of Bowie voted to expand its automated speed‑camera program and to add specific locations after a presentation from Deputy Chief Robert Liberati and discussion among council members.

Deputy Chief Robert Liberati told the council the police department proposed five new locations and read a list of candidate blocks including the 3400 block of Mitchellville Road, sections of Stonybrook Drive, Superior Lane, Muirkirk Drive and multiple blocks of Jennings Mill Drive. Liberati said locations came from police observations, council suggestions and citizen complaints and that Maryland law requires public council action before new sites are added.

Council members pressed staff for ways to increase the program’s deterrent effect without buying more cameras. Liberati and staff said the city’s contract limits it to 12 operating cameras; the recommended approach is to install additional concrete pads or phantom boxes and rotate the 12 active cameras among a larger set of advertised sites. Councilmember Brady argued the visible enclosures are the primary deterrent and urged building out pads so cameras can be moved as needed.

At Mayor Pro Tem’s request, the council added the 3100 block of Trinity Drive during the meeting and asked staff to identify at least one site on Pine Oak Parkway. Deputy Chief Liberati also noted the vendor (Elevate) manages physical moves upon request from the city and that the traffic management committee reviews location performance to decide moves.

Councilmembers asked about cost. Staff said the vendor charges roughly $3,485 per camera per month and that maintaining 12 cameras runs roughly half a million dollars per year (city figure provided in the meeting). Several members emphasized the program is intended primarily as a safety deterrent rather than a revenue source.

The council moved and approved the amended list of locations by voice vote. The motion passed with the ayes prevailing and staff was directed to proceed with the added locations, to pursue installation of additional pads/phantom boxes and to follow up with specific Pine Oak blocks and other locations raised by council members.

Votes and next steps: staff will coordinate with the county (where permissions are required for some blocks), instruct the vendor to add pads and plan rotating deployments among the expanded set of sites. The council thanked Deputy Chief Liberati for his presentation.