APD chief replies to running red lights

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Dozens of Austin police officers have been caught on camera running red lights since the city first installed red light safety cameras in May 2008.

Austin police chief Art Acevedo said five officers have been disciplined for running a red light since the cameras went up last year.

A KXAN Austin News investigation uncovered 39 instances where city red light cameras caught Austin police cruisers running red lights without their flashing lights on. Chief Acevedo acknowledged it is a violation of department policy but he also said there are times when it is justified.

Our public information request to the Austin Police Department yielded approximately 125 videos where Austin police cruisers were caught on camera running red lights. Our investigation narrowed those down to the number of cruisers that ran red lights without their flashing lights on, which is a violation of the department's police - even when the officer is on a call.

"When they can articluate a reason to us as to why they didn't have their lights on and there was no conflict with another vehicle or God forbid a crash- we take into consideration the reason," Chief Acevedo said Tuesday. "For example, if you were trying to overtake a vehicle that was reckless, or speeding that you're trying to catch up with, if there's a crime scene or a crime in progress. I can't give you all the circumstances, the bottom line is its incumbent upon us as police officers to make sure that we're being safe above all else- whether lights are on or off or anything else."

Austin Police Association President Wayne Vincent agrees.

"Just because an officer goes through a red light doesn't necessarily mean that it was unnecessary, as long as it all starts with doing it safely," said Vincent. "The pressure is there. It does build up and we tend to get focused on making that call because someone is in distress."

Current APD policy requires officers to turn their lights and sirens on if they are going to run through a red light. Despite his current policy, Chief Acevedo said there are times when officers can justify why they did not use their lights, which accounts for the discrepancy between the number of officers who have run red lights without their flashing lights on and those who have faced disciplinary action for doing so.

"Whether they have their lights on our off, what I want them to do is drive safely," said Chief Acevedo.

A bill in the Texas legislature right now would exempt all law enforcement officers from paying red light fines. Senate Bill 398 stems from an incident in Houston where a police officer ran a red light while pursuing a suspicious person and then had to pay the fine.

No officer in Austin has been cited or required to pay a red light fine. Instead, violators are disciplined by the department. Chief Acevedo points out that many of his officers would prefer to pay the fine, since the disciplinary process can often result in suspensions without pay. Below is an interactive map of where the violations took place:

View Caught on Camera: APD running red lights in a larger map