During the Special City Commission Budget Workshop held on August 6, 2025, in Hallandale Beach, city officials discussed the implementation of a new traffic enforcement program aimed at reducing speeding in school zones. The program offers two options for drivers: they can either pay a citation or contest it. If they choose to contest, they will go through a review process. However, if they neither pay nor contest within 30 days, the citation will proceed through the uniform traffic citation process.

The meeting highlighted significant data from the City of Hollywood, which has been running a similar program. During the initial education phase, Hollywood experienced a 71.5% reduction in speeding vehicles. Once the full citation enforcement began, the reduction soared to 94.9%. This indicates that the presence of speed enforcement cameras effectively discourages speeding, with notable decreases in the number of vehicles exceeding speed limits by various margins.

Commissioners expressed strong support for the program, emphasizing the importance of safety in school zones. Discussions included the deployment of cameras in various locations, including Pembroke Road and side streets near schools. The city plans to collaborate with Genoptic, the vendor, to ensure that additional school zones, such as those for new Montessori schools and the Jewish Center, are recognized for enforcement.

A key point of contention arose regarding the financial arrangement with Genoptic. It was clarified that the city would receive $48 for each citation issued, regardless of whether the fines were collected, contrasting with earlier statements suggesting the city would pay the vendor per citation.

Concerns were raised about the potential for overreach and the impact on residents' quality of life. Some commissioners expressed the need for more data on current speeding issues and the effectiveness of the proposed program before making a final decision. The discussion also touched on the possibility of using technology to monitor speeding without issuing fines, which could serve as a deterrent.

Overall, the meeting underscored the city's commitment to enhancing safety in school zones while balancing the concerns of residents regarding traffic enforcement measures. The next steps involve finalizing the contract with Genoptic and preparing for the implementation of the program, with further discussions anticipated as the city moves forward.