“[Blue Line Solutions, of Chatanooga, Tenn.] is showing us how they work and what type of data we would get. At this point, we are just gathering information,” said Stafford Sheriff’s Major Shawn Kimmitz.
It is one of multiple firms the sheriff’s office works with as it tests new equipment. The cameras are not actively citing drivers during the demonstration phase.
Stafford County Sheriff David Decatur discussed the possibility of introducing traffic and speed cameras to his deputies’ traffic enforcement toolkit during a Stafford County Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee meeting today, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023.
Hartwood District Supervisor Darrell English voiced concerns brought to him by residents who say speeding is out of control along a seven-mile stretch of Route 17, from the Fauquier County line to a Walmart on Village Lakes Parkway.
Decatur suggested traffic cameras might help change the behaviors of drivers who speed. While he supports using technology for traffic enforcement to curb speeding, Decatur said there is no evidence that it will.
The state allows counties to erect speed cameras near schools and highway work zones and use red light cameras to reduce traffic crashes by stopping red-light runners. Decatur said the sheriff’s office should identify which areas would suit each type of camera and report back to supervisors in Spring 2024.
Meanwhile in neighboring The Prince William County, officials have rolled out an Automated Traffic Enforcement Pilot Program, which will place speed cameras in selected school zones across the county.
The initial school zones where automated enforcement will be deployed include Battlefield High School on Route 15, Woodbridge High School and Old Bridge Elementary School on Old Bridge Road, Fitzgerald Elementary School on Benita Fitzgerald Drive, and Patriot High School and T. Clay Wood Elementary School on Kettle Run Road. More school zones will be added to the program in the coming months.
Sheriff Decatur expressed his support and emphasized the importance of partnering with individuals dedicated to combating crime. “In law enforcement, identifying partners committed to combating crime becomes essential,” stated Decatur. “Derrick Anderson unequivocally stands with law enforcement and has my full support. With Derrick’s backing, our collective efforts will continue to enhance the security and safety in Stafford County.”
“Sheriff Decatur’s record of service to the community is impressive, and I look forward to working with him to keep Virginians safe,” said Anderson. “I’ll always have law enforcement’s back — they need all the tools they can get to fight crime, the drug crisis, and the border crisis.”
Anderson’s campaign has garnered support from various quarters within Virginia and nationally. Recent endorsements include Rep. Jen Kiggans, Greene County Sheriff Steven Smith, Spotsylvania County Supervisors Jake Lane and Gerald Childress, and every Stafford County Board of Supervisors GOP member. National leaders such as Speaker Mike Johnson, Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, Sen. Tom Cotton, and several prominent conservatives and elected military veterans have thrown their support behind Anderson.
Anderson’s fundraising efforts have also been noteworthy, with over $460,000 raised since the launch of his congressional bid. This places him ahead of his Republican counterparts, including Cameron Hamilton, who trails with $270,000 in funds.
Democrats lead with fundraising, as Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman has raked in $2 million, while Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Franklin comes in second with $123,000 in the bank, in thier run for their party’s nomination.
Virginia’s 7th Congressional District encompasses eastern Prince William County, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, and Fredericksburg, as well as parts of Caroline, Culpeper, Greene, King George, Madison, and Orange.
Virginia will hold a Primary Election on June 18, 2024, to decide respective party nominees. Until then, all eyes are on Virginia’s Republican and Democrat Presidential Primary scheduled for Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Early voting for that election ends at 5 p.m. today.
Election Day Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Find out where to vote.Â
If you rely on us for local news and haven’t already, please support us by becoming a member!
- Join our Locals Only Membership Today! In a world filled with everyday heroes and extraordinary tales, Potomac Local is your trusted source for news and stories that matter in our community.
- Our Local Spotlight Membership is perfect for businesses and non-profits to increase sales, donations, and branding awareness in the community.
“This is still an active investigation, and we do not currently have any further information to release. Out of respect for the family and their request, the victim’s name will not be released at this time,” sheriff’s spokesman Ryan Wilbur told us.
A string of questions we sent to the department about this story have gone unanswered.
The sheriff’s office closed a portion of Route 1 at Bells Hill Road for 14 hours as it investigated the incident.
Stafford County Sheriff David Decatur will begin his third term on January 1, 2024.
Here’s the department’s incident issued on December 16, 2023:
At 12:20 a.m., deputies responded to a disturbance in the 2400 block of Richmond Highway (Route 1). As deputies made contact with the complainant, an adult male resident of the home brandished a rifle towards the deputies. Deputies repeatedly ordered the man to drop the weapon, but he failed to comply. Deputies fired their weapons, and the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene.
There were no other injuries at the scene, and southbound Richmond Highway was closed this morning for the investigation. Deputies are on routine administrative leave while the case is investigated.
