The city of Dayton has discontinued, then reinstated, its use of traffic cameras.
Monday was the first day of a state law effectively banning the use of static red light and speed cameras to ticket drivers. The law requires a police officer to be present in order for a ticket to be issued based on a violation caught on camera.
But several cities, including Akron, Springfield, Dayton and Toledo filed lawsuits against the state, saying the law violated the cities’ home rule authority.
On Sunday, a Lucas County judge granted Toledo’s request for a temporary injunction, allowing the city to continue using the cameras.
Sunday at midnight, Dayton stopped using the cameras to issue tickets but, by Monday afternoon, the city’s lawyers gave the green light for Dayton to start using them again, saying the injunction should apply statewide. The city has reinstated use of nearly 40 cameras for the time being.
Dayton’s mayor and city manager are hopeful the courts will overrule the state, which passed the traffic camera ban in late 2014.
