WEATHERSFIELD — Motorists traveling through the township will need to be prepared as fixed speed cameras have been installed on poles at five heavily traveled locations, where officials want to address problems with speeding vehicles.

Police Chief Michael Naples said at Tuesday’s township trustees meeting that police will continue patroling and using the cameras — with some cameras to be at fixed stationary locations but still operated by the officers from their cruisers.

Township legal adviser Cherry Poteet said the officers monitor the cameras with iPads in vehicles. Officers will be able to monitor the violations noted by the cameras. Blue Line Solutions of Tennessee handles the fine collections.

“These are locations where it is not easy to have a police cruiser at,” she said.

Officials have said the cameras will be installed in the 2800 block of Tibbetts-Wick Road at Gardenland Avenue and on Salt Springs Road between Ohio Machinery Boulevard and Bundy Avenue.

Additional fixed cameras may be installed on state Route 46 between 3859 S. Main St. and 3588 S. Main St., on McDonald Avenue between West Marshall Road and Ohltown McDonald Road, 1382 W. Park Road, Niles Warren River Road between DeForest Road Southeast and McRoberts Road, 1776 Austintown Warren Road, and 3304 Austintown Warren Road.

Officials said a full-time officer will be present whenever any fixed-location traffic camera is in operation

Naples said that with photo enforcement, drivers do slow down and the roads become safer.

Citations from the cameras will begin Monday after township officials gave a 30-day “warning period” to assure public awareness before collecting fines from the devices, which monitor speed using a laser. A legal notice was published last month in the Tribune Chronicle.

Fines will be charged for vehicles traveling 10 mph or more over the posted speed limit, or 6 mph over the limit in school zones.

Signs notifying drivers of traffic cameras are posted at all entrances to the township and within 300 feet of all fixed traffic-camera locations.

Weathersfield has been using handheld speed detectors since December 2015. A reduction in speeding has been attributed to the devices, officials said.

Poteet said the cameras will be located at the specific locations on the pole where it’s difficult to have a police cruiser.

Officials said a traffic study was done in the locations to identify the areas where speeding has been more of an issue.

“The cameras are used for safety and to slow down people. Basically, you don’t get a ticket unless you’re going more than 10 miles over the speed limit,” Poteet has said.

In other business, trustees approved one-year contract extensions for the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, which represents 11 police officers and the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, which represents four road department employees who handle the roads, cemetery and mechanics.

The contracts, which will grant a 2 percent pay increase for the employees, are effective Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com