Longmont’s controversial speed and red light cameras are busting a lot of drivers.
Longmont Public Safety released statistics over the weekend detailing the number of speed and red light citations its cameras recorded between May 15 and June 29. In all, 5092 drivers were tagged for violations.
Digging deeper:
Speed citations are issued when a driver moves 11 miles per hour or more over the speed limit. Red light citations are given to motorists who enter the intersection 0.4 seconds after a traffic signal has turned red.
Cameras are posted at 13 locations, all of which monitor speed (only two monitor red light violations).
Cameras at eastbound Ken Pratt Boulevard and Main Street captured the most citations, by far. A whopping 3,130 speed violations were recorded, as well as 322 red light violations.
Show me the money:
Each speeding violation costs $40 ($80 if it’s in a construction or school zone) while red light violations cost $75.
Between July 2025 - December 2025, citations yielded $73,380 worth of revenue from 2,446 citations, per LPS.
LPS hasn’t released how much revenue has been generated from 2026 citations, but The Longmont Brief estimates figures from the most recent period to be at least $227,725.
LPS has said in the past that revenue from citations funds more police officers. Reportedly, it’s a critical need for Longmont police. Plus, by reducing crashes, cameras annually save communities $39,000 - $50,000 in collision-related expenses per location, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
On the other hand…
There has been significant pushback from the public for cameras of this nature. Critics argue cameras’ ability to surveil 24 hours a day and scan thousands of license plates per hour amounts to unconstitutional government overreach and a breach of privacy. Plus, the threat of misuse, false matches, and data breaches constantly lurk.