CHICAGO (WLS) — They flash, they fine, and they fuel tens of millions of dollars in city and suburban revenue.
But the I-Team found that in some communities, just one or two people are deciding whether you get that $100 ticket in the mail.
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“It should be more than one review officer,” said Juliette Elliot, who was ticketed in Hillside.
In west suburban Hillside, under the Freedom of Information Act, ABC7 found that just one former police officer reviews all camera footage.
Myanna Ramos says her ticket should have been thrown out before she contested in court. Ultimately, it was dismissed.
“They mistakenly sent me a ticket meant for someone who was behind me, even though I stopped before them. It was simply an error in judgment,” said Myanna Ramos, who received a ticket in Hillside.
The village of Hillside refused an on-camera interview but mentioned that one person is sufficient, and noted that “only 40% of potential infractions result in tickets issued to drivers.”
The I-Team discovered that over the past four years, Hillside has collected more than $4.2 million through red light camera fines. Hillside claims the number of issued tickets has decreased because fewer people are driving recklessly.
In south suburban Chicago Heights, the I-Team found that in December of last year, there was also only one reviewing officer. But as of this April, they had two. In the last four years, the city made almost $4 million in red light revenue.
And drivers contesting tickets are not happy.
“They needed a team to review these tickets,” said Otis Haywood, who was ticketed in Chicago Heights.
Another driver said he stopped, but switched lanes during a red light, and went through the light when it was green. His ticket was not dismissed.
“I mean, I feel it is so, it’s unfair. I mean, it’s still green light. And then they didn’t, I mean, it’s crazy,” said Don Kvasnicka, who was ticketed in Chicago Heights.
A Chicago Heights spokesperson says the officers assigned to review tickets “have been thorough and efficient in their work” and that the police department “routinely reassesses and rebalances its workforce as workload requires.”
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“That stop line is too far back. I think that’s the trap,” said Reginald Jones, who was ticketed in Evergreen Park.
Drivers in south suburban Evergreen Park who say they stopped are also fuming. The I-Team found that it is the number one suburb for red light camera revenue, making more than $9.3 million in the last four years.
“It’s a lot of money,” said Jim Carmen, who was ticketed in Evergreen Park.
That suburb only has two people reviewing videos before tickets are sent to drivers. Carmen had to go to court to contest his ticket, and he won.
“I got mine dismissed, because I did come to a stop, and it came to a stop after the white line,” Carmen said.
ABC7 emailed Evergreen Park officials and did not hear back.
ABC7 also did not hear back from the number two suburb for red light revenue, south suburban Burbank, which made almost $8.5 million in the last four years.
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Northwest suburban Rolling Meadows is ranked third, with $8.1 million in the last four years. The city manager there, Rob Sabo, spoke to the I-Team.
“The ultimate goal of them is to prevent individuals driving through red lights,” Sabo said.
When pressed on the large sum the city has made from red light cameras, Sabo said, “I will say that we are not balancing or budget on the basis of having red light cameras… The budgeted amount is equivalent of 1% of our complete of our total operating budget in the city.”
Rolling Meadows has five reviewing officers. Other municipalities have even more. The city of Chicago has nine, but in the last four years, it generated more than $227 million in revenue from red light cameras.
Mark Wallace, of Citizens to Abolish Red Light Cameras, questions the reviewing process, especially when they may only be one or two people looking.
“So, it is virtually impossible that one person can review thousands upon thousands of what they call incidents or violations and be accurate about that,” Wallace said.
Despite those high revenue numbers, many drivers are choosing to not pay tickets. For example, in the number one suburb. Evergreen Park, only 48% of people ticketed paid in the last four years. In the city of Chicago, 70% of people paid.
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