RED LIGHT CAMERAS
www.highwayrobbery.net

Email Address
Site Index

If you haven't already done so, please read the Los Alamitos section on the Camera Towns page.

City of Los Alamitos Documents


Some of Los Alamitos' tickets can possibly be ignored.  If your "ticket" does not have the Superior Court's name and address on it, it is what I call a "Snitch Ticket."  For more details, see the Snitch Ticket section on the Your Ticket page.


If you have a ticket from Los Alamitos - even one you already have paid - be sure to read Docs Set # 6 below, as the City may need to refund a number of tickets issued after Aug. 1, 2015.



In 2020, Vote No on Donald Wagner

Do you live in Orange County, in or near Anaheim, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, El Toro, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, Orange, Tustin, or Villa Park?  Was Donald Wagner your State assemblymember or is he now your county supervisor?
In 2014 Wagner was the sponsor of Assembly Bill 2487 which would have taken away your right to a Trial de Novo.
In early 2015, while he still was in the Assembly, Wagner ran to jump over to the State Senate, but lost to John Moorlach.  Early the next year he started another Senate run against fellow Republican Moorlach, but backed down after encountering heavy criticism from their Party followed by the Party's endorsement of his opponent.  Later in 2016, when he was just months away from being termed-out of the Assembly, he ran for mayor of the City of Irvine, and won.
Then in a 2019 special election to replace County Supervisor Todd Spitzer (who ran for DA and was elected), Wagner ran to fill out the remainder of Spitzer's supervisorial term, and won by a narrow margin.

Donald Wagner
Donald Wagner

Wagner will be on the ballot again in 2020, running for a full four year term.
Please don't reward him with your vote.





In 2022, Vote No on Sheila Kuehl

Do you live in LA County?  Was Zev Yaroslavsky your County Supervisor?  (He represented the Third District, which includes the central and western San Fernando Valley, Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, the City of West Hollywood, and part of Hollywood.)

Zev "termed out," and in the Nov. 2014 election Sheila Kuehl won the race to succeed him, by a narrow margin.

Sheila Kuehl authored 3 speed
                camera bills
Sheila "Kuehl Cams" Kuehl, in 2007

During her career in the California Legislature, Kuehl made three attempts to pass bills to allow the use of automated speed enforcement (photo radar) in California.

As an LA County Supervisor, she has a seat on the MTA/Metro board and she will be a vote to continue and expand Metro's huge (101 cameras, so far) red light camera system.
  In 2016 she voted to put an additional LA County-wide sales tax, to go to Metro, on the Nov. 2016 ballot - and it passed.  (See
Measure M on the Action/Legis page, for more about that tax.)

Kuehl may be up for re-election in 2022.



Be sure to read the "Countywide Information" for OC, which is Docs Set # 6 on the Santa Ana Documents page.




Map of Red Light Camera
                Locations in Los Alamitos
Map by OC Register, 7-6-16


Los Alamitos Docs Set # 1
Ticket Counts

Total Violations, Notices Printed [4]

New 1-4-12, updated 1-20-20

Cam #
KAAL-01 KAAL-03 KABL-01








Katella
WB@
Los
Alamitos
Katella
EB@
Los
Alamitos
Katella
WB@
Bloomfield

[10]



[3]

Total
Citations
Issued
as %
of Events
Re-
corded
Total
Violations
Recorded/

Notices
Printed
[1] [4]
Total
Citations
Issued/
  Left
Turn
Citations
Per CVC
21455.5(i)
Annual
Reports
[11]
Aug05
0
0
0
0
0
0






0
0

Sep05
267
103
321
235
258
168






846
506

Oct05
278
143
407
267
348
230






1033
640

Nov05
190
134
208
112
303
184






701
430

Dec05
264
216
150
94
276
183






690
493

2005
 [2] 









6207
(proj.)

Jan06
227
190
294
209
197
154






718
553

Feb06











Mar06









851
598

Apr06









683
450

May06











Jun06











Jul06
296
97
229
85
224
108






749
290

Aug06











Sep06









834
553

Oct06









854
544

Nov06











Dec06











2006
 [2] 









5976
(proj.)

Jan07
192
144
171
98
202
161






565
403

Feb07











Mar07









672
454

Apr07









581
377

May07











Jun07











Jul07
163
77
182
104
203
150






548
331

Aug07











Sep07









547
351

Oct07









16
7

Nov07











Dec07











2007
 [2] 









4028
(proj.)

Jan08
197
123
143
83
164
136






504
342

Feb08











Mar08









570
397

Apr08









528
338

May08











Jun08











Jul08
160
88
104
35
110
70






374
193

Aug08











Sep08









449
254

Oct08









433
301

Nov08











Dec08











2008
 [2] 









3650
(proj.)

Jan09
141
109
85
49
102
71






328
229

Feb09









309
215

Mar09









445
273

Apr09









441
268

May09









404
271

Jun09









387
249

Jul09
164
76
85
33
97
67






346
176

Aug09









349
195

Sep09









337
190

Oct09









278
177

Nov09









336
257

Dec09









409
313

2009
 [2] 








64%
4369
2813

Jan10
138
109
78
51
92
74






308
234

Feb10









325
240

Mar10









395
278

Apr10









308
211

May10









351
197

Jun10









278
176

Jul10
182
125
87
40
74
47






343
212

Aug10









285
180

Sep10









450
296

Oct10









422
279

Nov10









370
279

Dec10









385
271

2010
 [2] 








68%
4220
2853

Jan11
101
73
89
55
114
88






304
216

Feb11
112
71
70
38
120
97






302
206

Mar11
171
109
63
28
113
52






347
189

Apr11
137
86
69
36
75
52






281
174

May11
167
109
70
42
90
66






327
217

Jun11
207
135
105
49
129
99






441
283

Jul11
172
95
103
41
130
96






405
232

Aug11
193
109
88
44
124
89






405
242

Sep11
228
163
110
44
142
106






480
313

Oct11
238
174
102
52
160
129






500
355

Nov11
200
166
89
55
128
79






417
300

Dec11
185
149
94
60
151
115






430
324

2011
 [2] 
2111
1439
1052
544
1476
1068





66%
4639
3051

Jan12
132
102
78
50
155
128






365
280

Feb12
100
73
90
57
161
127






351
257

Mar12
279
178
128
59
187
116






594
353

Apr12
193
109
102
42
200
142






495
293

May12
265
189
170
81
202
148






637
418

Jun12
207
148
126
59
207
159






540
366

Jul12
225
124
141
72
246
179






612
375

Aug12
278
169
160
80
250
185






688
434

Sep12
288
191
140
78
254
184






682
453

Oct12
158
130
172
99
269
188






599
417

Nov12
199
149
171
115
203
155






573
419

Dec12
224
160
142
100
216
172






582
432

2012
 [1] 
2548
1722
1620
892
2550
1883





67%
6718
4497

Jan13
153
119
96
46
151
107






400
272

Feb13
141
99
162
64
171
129






474
292

Mar13
188
125
195
82
225
142






608
349

Apr13
210
109
161
101
289
210






660
420

May13
255
149
205
116
255
194






715
459

Jun13
218
116
225
117
271
199






714
432

Jul13
164
81
203
115
282
216






649
412

Aug13
197
105
211
98
265
183






673
386

Sep13
224
139
220
127
286
204






730
470

Oct13
284
204
180
113
226
168






690
485

Nov13
243
192
138
78
226
176






607
446

Dec13
281
159
160
69
188
113






629
341

2013
 [1]
2558
1597
2156
1126
2835
2041





63%
7549
4764
4380
810
Jan14
316
227
148
87
183
138






647
452

Feb14
295
201
215
122
184
133






694
456

Mar14
351
245
259
172
212
155






822
572

Apr14
271
173
283
145
212
147






766
465

May14
325
201
336
156
239
158






900
515

Jun14
313
191
218
112
221
150






752
453

Jul14
275
137
255
147
193
138






723
422

Aug14
408
210
281
161
207
154






896
525

Sep14
437
215
278
124
136
47






851
386

Oct14
251
165
315
205
193
130






759
500

Nov14
291
159
222
152
198
154






711
465

Dec14
359
113
222
98
120
34






701
245

2014
[1]
3892
2237
3032
1681
2298
1538





59%
9222
5456
5011
2441
Jan15
299
196
216
117
211
151






726
464

Feb15
281
200
280
182
161
105






722
487

Mar15
405
189
186
111
189
118






780
418

Apr15
387
288
172
116
185
126






744
530

May15
319
198
172
107
183
114






674
419

Jun15
534
337
194
136
182
123






910
596

Jul15
422
269
179
103
245
149






846
521

Aug15
[10]
260
166
187
101
57
41






504
308

Sep15
[10]
460
217
240
104
94
39






794
360

Oct15
[10]
443
331
278
167
114
72






835
570

Nov15
[10]
478
354
282
149
64
51






824
554

Dec15
[10]
457
359
227
167
181
129






865
655

2015
 [2] 
4745
3104
2613
1560
1866
1218





64%
9224
5882
5429
3484
Jan16
[10]
334
249
222
148
149
106






705
503

Feb16
[10]
499
359
261
181
164
115






924
655

Mar16
[10]
421
290
236
164
191
122






848
576

Apr16
[10]
368
224
296
183
259
157






923
564

May16
[10]
362
231
313
180
246
150






921
561

Jun16
[10]
379
231
293
194
134
85






806
510

Jul16
333
119
264
120
84
38






681
277

Aug16
362
146
301
129
86
30






749
305

Sep16
448
317
370
241
58
29






876
587

Oct16
420
275
366
248
90
42






876
565

Nov16
346
209
335
199
108
49






789
457

Dec16
417
291
353
262
73
40






843
593

2016
 [2] 
4689
2941
3610
2249
1642
963





62%
9941
6153
5750
3790
Jan17
286
192
279
140
22
13






587
345

Feb17
333
180
225
106
39
20






597
306

Mar17
523
311
327
214
79
46






929
571

Apr17
334
216
307
174
134
73






775
463

May17
161
92
265
160
206
109






632
361

Jun17
214
96
472
279
187
81






873
456

Jul17
369
237
315
180
168
95






852
512

Aug17
437
235
259
175
102
63






798
473

Sep17
513
340
314
224
115
73






942
637

Oct17
452
354
290
234
127
94






869
682

Nov17
202
127
168
113
179
129






549
369

Dec17
229
132
107
67
175
116






511
315

2017
 [1]
4053
2512
3328
2067
1533
912





62%
8914
5490
4240
2556
Jan18
185
126
169
128
163
122






517
376

Feb18
405
304
267
198
96
62






768
564

Mar18
492
345
346
243
107
78






945
666

Apr18
420
316
312
229
122
74






854
619

May18
466
333
352
254
135
80






953
667

Jun18
432
288
360
257
108
74






900
619

Jul18
412
246
357
244
108
73






877
563

Aug18
488
333
402
286
136
78






1026
697

Sep18
465
339
317
228
118
83






900
650

Oct18
616
387
266
145
138
78






1020
610

Nov18
535
399
267
182
140
93






942
674

Dec18
560
403
320
229
102
62






982
694

2018
 [1]
5476
3820
3734
2623
1473
957





69%
10684
7400
5139
3256
Jan19
527
413
266
195
154
104






947
712

Feb19
508
415
290
228
123
83






921
726

Mar19
671
488
384
256
179
122
 
 
 
 


1234
866

Apr19
614
350
369
195
149
87






1132
632

May19
422
253
322
199
147
109






891
561

Jun19
343
243
337
215
151
93






831
551

Jul19
355
261
285
178
175
118






815
557

Aug19
469
366
375
264
170
104






1014
734

Sep19
432
245
351
171
184
91
 
 
 
 


967
507

Oct19
651
228
294
89
74
0






1019
317

Nov19
579
469
294
229
85
45






958
743

Dec19
582
472
335
253
131
78






1048
803

2019
[2] (proj.)
6153
4203
3902
2472
1722
1034





65%
11777
7709

Cam # 
[8]
KAAL-01 KAAL-03 KABL-01








Katella
WB@
Los
Alamitos
Katella
EB@
Los
Alamitos
Katella
WB@
Bloomfield
[10]



[3]

Total
Citations
Issued
as %
of Events
Re-
corded
Total
Violations
Recorded/

Notices
Printed
[1] [4]
Total
Citations
Issued/
Left
Turn
Citations
Per CVC
21455.5(i)
Annual
Reports
[11]

This table made by highwayrobbery.net, using official reports provided by the City under the California Public Records Act.

Official reports, 2005 - 2011
More official reports, 2005 - 2011
Official reports, 2011 - 2012
Official reports, Winter 2012
Official reports, 2006 - 2013
Official reports, 2013 - 2014
Official reports, 2007 - 2014
Official reports, 2006 - 2015
Official reports, 2009 - 2015
Official reports, Late 2015
Official reports, 2009, 2010, 2016
Official reports, 2016 - 2017
Official reports, 2017 - 2018
Official reports, July 2018 and Annuals 2012 - 2014
Official reports,  2018 - 2019
Official reports, Spring 2019
Official reports, late 2019

[  ] indicates a footnote.
[1]  These totals are as provided by the City.
[2]  These annual totals, or annual projections, are by highwayrobbery.net.  The projections are based upon only the data shown in the table above.
[3]  Un-used columns are to allow for later expansion of City's system.
[4]  Except where noted otherwise, the figures given in the table are for the single calendar month indicated.  Any figures in red type (or, if you are looking at this table in black and white, the upper figure when there are two or more figures in a cell) are what RedFlex calls Total Violations, or all incidents recorded by the cameras, and due to time limitations may have been posted here only for selected months or locations.  If there is sufficient public interest, the remaining months will be posted.  The figures in black type are what RedFlex calls Notices Printed, and represent the sum of genuine citations issued (those filed with the court) plus any Nominations mailed (not filed with the court, a.k.a. Snitch Tickets).
[5]  Monthly data was requested on:
[6]  The camera enforcement is believed to be on traffic on the first-named street, but the direction of enforcement (north, south, east, west, thru, left, right) is not yet available.
[7]  Includes enforcement of posted "no turn on red" signs.
[8]  The title bar has been repeated solely for the convenience of the reader - there is no difference between it and the one at the top of the table.
[9]  The official report for this month was generated ten days or less after the end of the month, shows a number of violations "in progress," so the "Approved Violations" figure given in the official report may not reflect the full number of tickets eventually issued.  The citywide "Total" Notices Printed figure was adjusted as follows before being posted to the table above:  The figure was increased by the number of violations in progress times the % issuance seen the previous year..
[10]  If you have an Aug. 1, 2015 to mid-June 2016 ticket from the Katella/Bloomfield camera - even one you already have paid - be sure to read Docs Set # 6 below, as the City may need to refund a number of tickets issued there.
[11]  From the annual reports required, beginning with 2013, by CVC 21455.5(i).  They become available by the Fall of the following year.



Los Alamitos Docs Set # 2
"Late Time" Graphs

Summer 2014 was the first time the City provided bar graphs of Late Times, etcetera, for its cameras.
These graphs track violations recorded, not tickets issued.
Where there is a large number of long Late Time violations in a curb lane, it is believed to indicate heavy ticketing on right turns.
(The curb lane will be the lane with the highest lane number.)

Grand Terrace late times bar chart
The picture above is an example from another city.

July 2014 Graphs
Oct. 2015 Graphs
June 2017 Graphs
Sept. 2017 - Mar. 2018 Graphs
May 2018 Graphs

Bar graphs are available for more than fifty other cities - see the list in the expanded version of Defect # 9.




Los Alamitos Docs Set # 3
The Contract:  Paying Too Much But Can Escape

In July 2005 the City signed a contract with RedFlex. 
The original contract included an illegal "cost neutrality" clause (see Defect # 10 - B), whereby the city did not have to pay RedFlex the full rent if fines were insufficient to cover the cost.  On Nov. 4, 2007 the Orange County Register published an article which revealed that in January 2007 an Orange County Superior Court Commissioner dismissed a Los Alamitos ticket and "...issued an opinion opposing the agreements (the contract)."  After that court decision, the City revised its contract, eliminating cost neutrality but adding a clause allowing delayed payment for 90 days after new camera installations:

"Customer may pay, in arrears, the Fixed Fee for the first ninety (90) days after the expiration of the Warning Period to allow for collection by Customer of sufficient fines to pay the Fixed Fee."

2010 Contract

The city council approved a new five-year contract with RedFlex in September 2010. 

The contract says:  
Definitions.  1.34  "Warning Period" means a period after the Installation Date of the first intersection approach, wherein only warning notices shall be issued, commencing within 3 days after the system has been installed.  (Emphasis added.)  See Defect # 6.

The City agreed to pay $4500 monthly rent for each camera.  With annual adjustments for the CPI, as of early 2014 the rent was up to $4576 per camera and the City was paying the full amount, monthly (the 2010 contract did not include a "cost neutrality" clause - see Defect # 10 - B).

The City agreed to pay WAY too much.  In March 2014 the City of Elk Grove, California approved a new contract which specified the following schedule of rents for their five RedFlex cameras.


Imaged from Exh. D of the Elk Grove Contract

  Over the five years 2010 - 2015 Los Alamitos paid 59% too much (compared to the Elk Grove price schedule), $305,568 extra.  To cover that extra rent, the City needed to issue an extra 3056 tickets (assuming that the City's cut of the fine money averaged $100 for each ticket issued).  The 2010 contract did not contain an escape clause (Termination for Convenience), something commonly found in other cities' contracts. 

The contract was to expire in Sept. 2015, so the cameras were on the council agenda of Aug. 24, 2015. 
Staff report and proposed new contract amendment

The staff report recommended a two-year extension, with no decrease in the monthly rent. 

The proposed new contract amendment added an escape clause, but the new clause included a provision requiring the City to pay a penalty of up to $30,000 in order to escape.  The staff report said that the $30,000 was to re-pay RedFlex for the proposed upgrading of the software and changing the ten-year-old cameras to "HD."  (Are three HD cameras worth $30,000 plus $223,200 in extra rent? Should a City have to pay an extra fee or extra rent for routine upgrades to the equipment?)

On the Saturday before the meeting highwayrobbery.net submitted a letter questioning the amount of the monthly rent and the $30,000 penalty.

Early on the morning of the meeting SaferStreetsLA.org submitted an accident study.

On the morning of the meeting, RedFlex sent the City a Fact Sheet including some accident graphs and also a table showing that 76% of the tickets were going to visitors.  Although there was little time before the meeting, SaferStreetsLA submitted a response to the Fact Sheet.

On the public information table at the meeting there was a Program Cost/Revenue Details sheet (author not indicated) showing that in Fiscal Year 2014-2015 the City had ticket income of almost triple what it spent to run the program.

Escape Now Possible!

During the meeting a councilmember announced that RedFlex had just agreed to drop the $30,000 penalty from the Termination for Convenience (escape) clause.  Signed Amendment with Revised Clause.  Without that penalty, the City will be able to cancel the contract at any time, on 30 days notice, and walk away Scot Free.

The council approved the new contract, unanimously, with discussion by only one councilmember, and without a reduction in the rent.  

OC Register Article (archived copy)

Later in the week the OC Register published an editorial  (archived copy) about the cameras in Los Alamitos and Garden Grove.

With the $4576 rent (per camera, per month), Los Alamitos would pay triple what it should, $221,472 extra over the two years 2015 - 2017, and would need to issue an extra 2215 tickets in order to cover that extra rent (assuming that the City would get $150 from each paid ticket and that 2/3 of tickets are paid).

To see how much other cities pay, see FAQ # 17.


Four-Year Contract Extension - with Excessive Price - Approved on July 31, 2017

The extension was originally on the July 17 agenda, but that meeting was cancelled.  The new hearing date was July 31, and the vote was 4 - 1 to approve - Wilson nay.

The 2017 amendment reduced the rent from $4576 to $3200 per camera per month, which was still more than double the Elk Grove schedule (above) for cameras ten or more years old, more than double what Del Mar pays (($1578) for its three RedFlex cameras, and 1/3 more than Solana Beach pays ($2386) for its three RedFlex cameras.   Assuming that by hard bargaining Los Alamitos could have achieved  a target rent of $2400, the City's consent to pay $3200 will cost $115,200 extra over the four years and the City will need to issue an extra 1152 tickets in order to cover that extra rent.   

Staff Report
Our Letter
Signed Contract


This list of contracts and/or amendments was up-to-date as of June 25, 2018.




Los Alamitos Docs Set # 4
Info on City's Website

There is a little program info on the police department's website.
The links to it are in the upper right hand corner of the
Traffic Bureau page.




Los Alamitos Docs Set # 5
Mickey Mouse Tickets - Mostly Left Turns

An official report showed that in 2016, 66% of the City's tickets were for left turns.



Los Alamitos Docs Set # 6
Possible Mass Refund in 2016

Los Alamitos may need to refund an estimated 1000 tickets issued between Aug. 1, 2015 and mid-June 2016, as it appears the City missed the deadline to set longer yellows at one of its camera enforced intersections.

Background:  A new statewide rule effective Aug. 1, 2015 changed the method for calculating minimum yellow times.  The former rule used the posted speed limit to look up the applicable minimum yellow in the lookup table (see Defect # 2). That table requires a yellow at least 3.9 seconds long for a speed of 40, 4.3 when it is 45, 4.7 when it is 50, and 5.0 when it is 55.  The new rule says that the minimum yellow shall be determined by rounding the 85th Percentile Speed of traffic (found in a city's current radar speed survey of the street) up to the next 5 mph increment, and then using that number to look up the applicable minimum yellow in the same lookup table.

 Los Alamitos'
2013 radar speed survey for Katella Avenue just east of Bloomfield reveals an 85th Percentile Speed of 40.  (The survey actually shows 39.9, but 85th Percentile Speeds are to be reported as whole integers.) 
Under the new rule, an 85th Percentile Speed of 40 requires a yellow of at least 3.9 seconds.  The City's
2006 traffic signal timing report shows that the yellow at Katella/Bloomfield was set at 4.0 seconds, which would be just long enough except that a detailed examination of page 3 of the 2013 radar speed survey shows that the 85th Percentile Speed for just the westbound cars - those approaching the camera at Bloomfield and monitored by it - is 41 which, after the rounding up required by the new rule, calls for a yellow of at least 4.3 seconds.  (A footnote in the City's 2016 traffic signal timing report says:  "If opposing approaches are different, use the higher value for both directions.")

On June 29, 2016 the court dismissed 19 cases because of the City's too-short yellow. 
(For details about the case decided on June 29, see the Jonathan B. case in highwayrobbery.net's Library of cases.)  Will the City voluntarily dismiss and/or refund all of the (est.) 1000 Katella/Bloomfield tickets it issued after Aug. 1, 2015?   Or just some, or none?  In an OC Register Article published July 6  (archived copy)  the Los Alamitos city attorney was quoted as saying, “I imagine they’ll be offering to dismiss those.”
Further news coverage:
Nationwide Motoring Blog, 7-7-16
OC Register Editorial, 7-14-16 (archived copy)




Los Alamitos Docs Set # 7
Signal Timing Check

We received this 2017 document in which an outside consultant examined the City's signal timing.
We received this set of
documents regarding routine maintenance and repair of the signals, including timing.




Los Alamitos Docs Set # 8
More Coming

There may be some more Los Alamitos information posted in the next few weeks.  Mark your calendar to remind you to come back here and look!




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