Money made off school speed cameras will fund nearly $1 million in tasers and body-worn cameras for the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, according to Macon-Bibb County commissioners.
The Commission voted unanimously Tuesday night to allocate $960,500 to renew a contract with Axon, a public safety technology company, which provides the tools. The money will come from revenue made from the local school speed zone camera program that automatically issues tickets.
The move is intended to “improve the safety of our community,” an ordinance signed by Mayor Lester Miller said.
Bibb County Sheriff David Davis had requested commissioners to approve the appropriated money, Miller said during the meeting.
The ordinance said the renewed contract for tasers and body cams is “necessary … to protect safety, health, peace, security and general welfare of Macon-Bibb County and its inhabitants.”
Revenue from school speed zone cameras also helped create a new truancy job to improve student attendance in the Bibb County School District in July.
It was unclear how much total revenue the county has made from automatic speeding tickets.
Drivers can be automatically cited before and after school hours for going 11 mph or more over the posted speed limit indicated by a flashing yellow light, according to the sheriff’s office. People are usually notified of their ticket in the mail.
