BRICE, Ohio — It’s a small village with a big problem.
The southeast Columbus village of Brice, with a population of 114, has just one school and one busy school zone.
Within this small area that’s about a mile long, it’s attracting thousands of drivers going above the 20 mile per hour school zone speed limit.
“I’ve currently approved approximately 1,800 citations in 27 school days,” says Police Chief Bud Bauchmoyer.
That was in late September. The chief now says his cameras have caught more than 2,000 speeders along Brice Road.
"People aren't slowing down for the school zone," Bauchmoyer said. "I don't understand why it's a problem."
The speed cameras are set to ticket every driver who goes 10 miles over the school zone speed limit of 20.
The chief says the cameras only operate two hours before school starts and an hour after school lets out.
Signs warn drivers as they enter the village of the school zone ahead or that the village is using speed enforcement cameras.
What is unusual about speed enforcement is that the Village of Brice is the only government agency in Franklin County fining drivers for speeding. The city of Dublin which started its own speed camera enforcement this month, only sends out warnings.
Landers: How do you answer people who say you just put these cameras up to make money?
Bauchmoyer: Speed trap implies that you are lying in wait. You're hiding or you are mechanically changing the speed limit none of which is happening.
What is happening is that people who are caught speeding 10 mph over the limit face a $125 citation plus a $111 court cost. Twenty miles over the speed limit will cost you $145 plus court costs. The speeding ticket is a civil penalty and is not a moving violation. Therefore, drivers won’t be assessed a point on their driving record, won’t be reported to the BMV and will not impact a driver's insurance premium.
According to the Village, it receives 60% from every ticket while the company that provides the camera earns 40%.
Brice was accused of running a speed trap by the State Auditor in 2021.
A state audit found the village failed to keep proper records of citations and didn’t pay the Franklin County Court filing fees for tickets.
Now the village says it’s doing everything legal including parking a police car near the speed camera.
“We hide right in plain sight. If you can't see us, you probably need glasses,” Bauchmoyersaid.
As for the lead feet who blow through the village, Mayor John Mathys sent 10tv a statement which read in part, “It is the motorist who is breaking the law, not the Village of Brice. Brice will no longer look the other way at what has become a dangerous entitlement for many drivers.”
Bauchmoyer said the speed cameras are not about making money, it’s about protecting the children who attend the only school in the Village.
“If you can't slow down in a school zone maybe you should just work from home.”