Fort Walton Beach school-zone cameras slash speeding by 95% in first year

In Brief:

🚸 Speeding near schools dropped 95%
💵 $183K in fines collected since May
🛑 City reinvests revenue into beacons, signage, and zone upgrades

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FORT WALTON BEACH — A year into Fort Walton Beach’s school-zone speed camera program, Police Chief Robert Bage says drivers are slowing down — and the numbers prove it.

According to Bage, the city has seen a 95% reduction in speeding near schools since cameras went live, with more than $130,000 in fines collected during the first few months.

The city council adopted the camera ordinance in September 2024, approved a contract with vendor RedSpeed in November, and finalized enforcement hours in January 2025. Warnings rolled out on Apr. 1, and full enforcement began on May 8.

During the required 30-day warning period, cameras detected 5,487 potential violations, resulting in 5,321 warnings. In the first two months of live enforcement, 3,292 violations were recorded, but only 1,580 citations were issued.

Most drivers corrected their behavior quickly: 88% of violators received only one citation, and more than half came from outside the city limits. Cameras currently monitor 10 school zones.

Across the entire school year and a month of summer school, 1,070 citations were paid during the spring semester, and an additional 171 were paid during summer school.

Two contested cases went before a special magistrate, both of which were upheld in the city’s favor.

Each $100 citation, with a $5 processing fee, is divided under state law:

$40 is allocated to statewide programs (including $20 to general revenue and $ 20 to the Okaloosa County School Board).
$5 supports the local school crossing guard program.
$60 is retained by the city, with $21 paid to RedSpeed and $39 kept for local safety projects.

According to city records, 1,840 violations have been paid, with $183,675 in fines collected, from late May to Sept. 17.

Bage said that the city retained about $50,800 for public safety programs, while the school district received $15,636, and crossing guards got $6,515.

Payment records provided by the city show where the fines are concentrated.

The single most active camera sits on Northbound Wright Parkway near Fort Walton Beach High School, which recorded 300 citations totaling $30,000 between May and mid-September.

The two cameras at Liza Jackson Preparatory School also generated significant revenue. The southbound camera on Hospital Road logged 288 violations worth $28,600, while the northbound camera generated another 191 tickets, valued at $19,100. Together, the two cameras around Liza Jackson collected nearly $48,000.

The eastbound camera on Hollywood Boulevard, located at Edwins Elementary and Fort Walton Beach High School, ranked next, capturing 183 citations worth $18,300. On the city’s west side, the westbound camera on Racetrack Road near Choctawhatchee High School issued 149 citations for $14,900.

Other locations produced smaller but still notable amounts. The southbound camera at Robinwood Drive near St. Mary Catholic School generated 104 violations totaling $10,400, while the northbound side collected 63 tickets worth $6,300.

Cameras near Silver Sands School accounted for a combined $6,300, and those near Elliott Point Elementary added about $1,600 across multiple approaches.

As the council began deliberations after Bage’s presentation, Councilmember David Schmidt pressed to confirm that proceeds are being reinvested “right back into signage and branding the school zone,” a point Bage affirmed. Schmidt summarized that roughly $50,000 is being allocated for beacons and similar upgrades.

Schmidt voiced broad support for the program despite criticism from some residents.

“I fully support this program and fully support the data that we’re seeing as far as behavior… changing,” Schmidt said, adding that staff continues to refine procedures, including accountability for government vehicles.

Councilmember Gloria DeBerry asked why the Lovejoy Road charter academy area lacks cameras. Bage explained that photo enforcement can only follow an established school zone, and staff believe that zone lapsed when the campus changed status years ago; he said the city will research how the school-zone designation was removed and what is required to restore it.

City Attorney Jeff Burns said he would coordinate with Bage and staff and report back.

Looking towards the future, Bage said that a spending priority will be enhancing the school zone around St. Mary’s, with requested upgrades at Robinwood and Coral also under consideration.

The initial project is expected to cost $9,000–$10,000 and is planned for the new fiscal year, with completion targeted for the start of the following calendar year.