ST. LOUIS — A new push Friday night to make the streets of St. Louis safer could mean the return of speed and red light cameras.
The technology has been used before in St. Louis. But it may come back, after a series of deadly and violent incidents involving pedestrians.
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and the Board of Aldermen on Friday made it clear they're at odds about the level of transparency that's needed for Automated Traffic Enforcement. Jones said the Board of Aldermen is stalling to pass the Automated Traffic Enforcement Act.
"Everyone deserves to feel safe navigating our city by foot, by bike, by transit or by car," Jones said.
The bill allows for red light and speed cameras, which she said would hold dangerous drivers accountable.
"We have to do more now as a city, to eliminate the culture of traffic violence that has taken too many lives and injured too many more," Jones said.
Just last year, the city reported 228 crashes with 225 injuries and eight deaths involving pedestrians.
Janae Edmondson lost her legs near the Dome at America's Center last year.
A mom and daughter were killed while leaving the Drake concert earlier this month.
The issue has the current mayor and the board at odds over the timing.
The board wants to make more room for public comment before installing red lights or speed cameras.
"I've been very clear and consistent with respect to my message that we need to have surveillance oversight programs in place, while also working in tandem to address the, safety concerns of residents, drivers and others on Saint Louis city streets," Alderman Shane Cohn of the 3rd Ward said.
Board president Megan Green echoed Alderman Cohn's message.
"I want to make it clear we are not seeking to ban any type of surveillance technology. We are simply seeking to make the policies around them public transparent, allow for the public to have a voice in the creation of those policies, to make sure that there are not unintended consequences that impact people's lives," Green said.
Jones continued to push the issue to the board.
"Call your aldermen and demand that they take action to make St. Louis a safer place for everyone," Jones said.
Jones also signed Executive Order 78 on surveillance transparency and accountability, which states the following:
- Specifies how the SLMPD can and cannot use artificial intelligence and surveillance technologies.
- Requires the SLMPD to provide an annual report to the Board of Alderman with extensive detail on the use of surveillance technologies.
- Provides for increased transparency on how much money is being spent on these technologies.
- Prohibits vendors from providing access to or selling surveillance information or data to unauthorized individuals or selling it for anything of value.
- Specifies that SLMPD will only provide access to surveillance information or data to authorized individuals and will create policies for the use and sharing of this information and data.
- Outlines requirements for the retention and storage of information and data collected through surveillance technology.
- Requires that Missouri Sunshine laws be upheld when it comes to the disclosure or release of surveillance technology information and data.