This Alabama city made more than half a million dollars from traffic cameras this year

Center Point is banking on traffic enforcement, with Mayor Bobby Scott Jr. confirming the city has generated over $500,000 in citation revenue so far this year. The municipality currently operates five cameras—three focused on speed and two capturing stop sign violations—as part of a long-running and contentious effort to boost local public safety.

Funding Public Safety

While the cameras have faced public criticism for more than a decade, Mayor Scott maintains that the program serves a vital purpose. The revenue is earmarked for public safety initiatives, including equipment, maintenance, and salary funding for the city's growing department. Currently, much of that financial support covers the cost of four deputies contracted through the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

"I know they are controversial, and a lot of people don’t like tickets, but it’s the same if a police officer pulls you over and writes you a ticket," Scott told 205focus.com. "At the end of the day, you still broke a traffic law that is enforceable by the city."

A History of High Stakes

The program has seen significant activity in recent years. According to reports from WVTM 13, the city generated nearly $3.5 million in fines between 2022 and early April 2026. Data shows at least 72,000 combined citations from speed and stop sign cameras, representing roughly $7.9 million in potential fines, though less than 35% of that amount has been collected.

The city's relationship with traffic cameras dates back to 2011, when the council first approved their installation. Legal challenges eventually led to a suspension of the program, but leadership reactivated the cameras in 2016, citing a 50% drop in stop sign violations. After a period of inactivity from 2020 to 2021, the city brought in a third-party partner to bring the systems back online.

Looking Ahead

The city is leaning into this revenue stream to build a standalone police force. In May, Center Point appointed its first-ever chief of public safety, Zandral Washington, to lead the department's development. Officials say the traffic camera program remains a key tool for managing pedestrian safety, particularly in high-traffic areas near schools and senior centers.

"In the next six months to a year we will have something very tangible to bring to the residents, because public safety is a priority for us," Scott said. "Hopefully in the next year or so, we will have an unveiling of cars, more frequent community drive-throughs, and people actually seeing police cars in neighborhoods."

Despite the controversy, Scott confirmed there have been "no discussions of removing the cameras," as the city continues to focus on reducing dangerous driving in the wake of several fatal accidents on Center Point Parkway over the last several years.