Lake County Gazette

The Buffalo Grove Police Department is seeking approval from the Village Board to purchase a Lidar speed camera. The decision will be made during the upcoming September meeting. The Lidar unit, which uses a narrow beam to target individual vehicles, would enable officers to enforce speeding violations in various areas, including high crash zones, school zones, construction zones, and areas with traffic complaints.

One of the key benefits of the Lidar unit is that it provides photographic evidence from traffic stops, which can be especially useful when offenders dispute claims of speeding. By capturing images of the vehicles, officers have additional support for the enforcement and prosecution of offenses. Additionally, some Lidar units have the capability to record the license plate of the vehicle along with the speed violation, further strengthening the evidence.

In addition to enforcing speeding violations, Lidar can also measure the distance between vehicles, allowing officers to detect incidents of tailgating. This can contribute to improving road safety and reducing accidents.

The Police Department has obtained quotes from three vendors, with prices ranging from $5,595 to $6,450. The department plans to fund the additional costs through its DUI fund. The decision on whether to approve the purchase of the Lidar speed camera will be made during the Village Board meeting.