Palm Bay Residents Raise Concerns Over School Zone Cameras and Speeding Citations

PALM BAY, Fla. — Palm Bay residents are raising concerns over newly installed school zone cameras, with many claiming they were unfairly ticketed despite not exceeding speed limits. Reports of questionable citations have surfaced on social media, with residents questioning the system’s accuracy, the enforcement hours, and whether proper oversight is in place.

“We’ve received multiple complaints from residents who say they were ticketed when they weren’t speeding,” said one resident. “My son got one today in the mail. The picture shows Palm Bay Road, but the paper they sent says he was down in Bayside.”

Another resident shared, “I got one in the mail today. There’s no way I was driving that fast—I don’t speed like that. I have a Class A CDL, no points, and have been a safe driver for years. The cameras are not accurate, and I will take this to court.”

Other residents echoed similar frustrations, with some stating they received tickets outside of what they believed to be the designated school zone hours.

One of the biggest points of contention is when the cameras are issuing citations. According to the City of Palm Bay’s website, enforcement hours are tied to each school’s schedule:

• 30 minutes before school starts
• During all school hours between opening and dismissal
• 30 minutes after school ends
• 30 minutes before the school breakfast program

However, Palm Bay Police Chief Mariano Augello spoke at the February 20 City Council meeting, where he suggested that enforcement lasts throughout the entire school day and not just during pick-up and drop-off hours.

“The misconception is that it’s only during certain hours—it actually runs throughout the school day,” Chief Augello said. “If you go 12 mph over the limit, the system alerts the company, the company sends the video to the police, and we verify whether it’s a violation.”

He also confirmed that six locations throughout the city are currently active and issuing citations.

This statement appears to differ from the city’s official website, which suggests that enforcement is based on school start and dismissal times rather than a blanket all-day enforcement policy. Some residents who received tickets say they were cited well after school hours.

Palm Bay Live conducted a drive-by of two school zone locations and observed discrepancies in the signage. At one location, a posted sign listed the enforcement hours as 6:45 AM to 5:00 PM, though it did not specify the days it applied. At a second location near a charter school, there was only a “speed limit 20 when flashing” sign but no posted enforcement hours. Given the conflicting information, drivers should exercise caution and assume school zone speed limits are enforced throughout the entire school day, even beyond typical morning and afternoon rush periods.

Another major concern is whether anyone is reviewing these violations before tickets are issued.

At the City Council meeting, Chief Augello explained that the third-party company FLOCK sends the violations to the Palm Bay Police Department’s traffic division for review.

However, a former Palm Bay officer familiar with past traffic enforcement policies says it’s unclear who is conducting these reviews—or whether proper oversight exists.

“When we had red-light cameras, every single violation was checked by a traffic officer before a ticket was issued,” the former officer said. “The same should apply here. But if this is being handled by administrative staff instead, mistakes could easily be made.”

There are also questions about the appeals process. Residents who have tried to dispute tickets say they’ve been directed to contact the third-party company, rather than Palm Bay PD.

One resident stated, “If the PBPD holds the contract with the camera company and issues the tickets, that’s who I’d take it up with. They can take it up with their contractor.”

While the official justification for the school zone cameras is safety, some residents question whether financial considerations also played a role. Automated traffic enforcement systems have been known to generate significant revenue in other cities, leading to concerns about transparency and oversight.

Additionally, some argue that if safety was the primary goal, more should have been done to inform the public. Chief Augello has stated that the police department released multiple public service announcements (PSAs) beginning in July 2024 to inform residents about the program. However, some residents still say they were caught off guard by the enforcement hours and process.

For now, residents who believe they were unfairly ticketed are left navigating the appeals process on their own. Palm Bay Live reached out to the Public Information Officer for clarification on how violations are reviewed, who is responsible for oversight, and whether an official audit system exists. In response, we were directed to the city’s website, which outlines the official enforcement hours for school zone cameras.

As more information becomes available, we will continue updating this story.

Until then, drivers should exercise caution in school zones and assume cameras are active throughout the entire school day.

If you or someone you know has received a school zone citation you believe was issued in error—or outside of the listed hours—we want to hear from you. Comment below or message Palm Bay Live with your experience.