New Jersey Towns Put Up Cameras To Catch Illegal Parking

Several towns across New Jersey installed automatic cameras to catch parking violators, with $50 fines for each offense. The "SafetyStick" system snaps photos when vehicles stop for more than half a minute.

Standing 3 feet tall on sidewalks, these metal poles watch over North Arlington, Garfield, Wood-Ridge, and Hasbrouck Heights. Dover plans to add them next. The company behind it all, Municipal Parking Services, takes a share of each fine.

These devices monitor free parking zones that fill fast. Once they catch a violation, photos go straight to the police, who mail tickets to the registered owners. No officers needed on site.

"It's gonna be bad for business. I have customers who pull up quickly. Put their hazards on, run in, grab a bouque,t and stuff like that," Meredith Hoff said per NewsBreak. She runs Victor's Flowers and Gifts in Dover.

Town officials defend the system, saying it makes streets safer. Gone are the days when officers had to patrol on foot looking for parking offenders. The cameras work non-stop, day and night.

This switch to machine-based enforcement marks a big change in how towns handle parking issues. The cameras never sleep, watching every spot in their view without breaks.

After Bergen County led the way, Morris County joined in as Dover prepares to install the devices downtown. The changes affect both locals and visitors who park in these areas.

While machines catch violations, officers still check each case before sending tickets. That thirty-second rule stays firm: hazard lights or not, the camera won't budge.