Red-light cameras across Ontario target everyday drivers, yet emergency responders like police officers claim they face unfair penalties when rushing to urgent calls. In Windsor, the local police union reports that officers caught by these cameras during high-priority responses lose significant paid hours, sparking debates over safety versus discipline.
Union Raises Alarms Over Strict Penalties
The Windsor Police Association, representing nearly 500 officers, states that a first red-light camera violation results in a six-hour pay deduction, escalating to 12 hours for repeat offenses. “You’re working a day and a half for free,” explains Kent Rice, president of the association.
Rice emphasizes that officers receive extensive training and exercise professional judgment, particularly at intersections during emergencies. “I understand balancing the line between public safety, but I also believe this was never the intent of the legislation put in place. They’re given discretion for a reason,” Rice states. He argues that public expectations align with allowing such flexibility in critical situations.
For instance, during a priority call like an active domestic incident, break-in, or shooting, an officer might proceed through a red light on a right turn late at night. “You can see from blocks around that nobody is coming,” Rice notes, highlighting how factors such as call type, time, and intersection layout influence decisions. He urges focus on emergency response without fear of penalties. “I want them to be focused on doing their job, and getting to the emergency, and not being concerned about being disciplined and issued a penalty for going through a red light,” Rice adds.
Officer’s Account Highlights Frustration
An active Windsor officer, speaking anonymously to avoid reprisals, shared an experience of pay docking after a red-light camera detection during a Priority 1 call—the highest urgency level. The officer arrived in time to make an arrest but received a six-hour pay cut instead of praise. “Instead of getting a, ‘Great work, you caught the guy,’ it’s, ‘Here’s your six-hour tariff,'” the officer recounts.
In the heat of the moment, the officer rolled to a near stop, checked for safety, and proceeded to pursue the suspect. “We all drive safely. You roll to almost a complete stop, you look both ways and if it’s clear, you go because your mindset is, ‘I gotta catch this guy.’ That’s what we signed up to do,” the officer says. Now, awareness of cameras distracts from the task, leading to feelings of betrayal. “Anger is the emotion. You feel so betrayed by your organization,” the officer expresses, calling the policy demoralizing and urging a review of circumstances for exemptions.
The Windsor Police Service has not detailed its disciplinary approach publicly, and internal guidelines do not specify investigations before pay deductions. Rice reports no known cases where officers avoided penalties after camera detections, even when stopping fully—cruisers’ quick acceleration in wide intersections can still trigger violations.
Legal Framework and Accountability Measures
Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act permits police to pass red lights with activated lights and sirens after stopping safely. Windsor operates 20 such cameras, but incidents underscore risks: a 2024 Winnipeg case saw an officer plead guilty to causing a crash during an emergency response.
Rice points to existing accountability, including internal reviews, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit oversight, and the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency. “That’s the goal of it. The officer has to come up to the intersection—they use discretion and judgment,” he says.
Comparisons with Other Emergency Services
Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services paramedics face potential discipline for camera infractions, but the County of Essex handles ticket disputes and investigates each case. For firefighters, drivers pay tickets personally, though past traffic-light override tech minimized issues; current upgrades leave trucks without this feature temporarily.
The City of Windsor, which manages camera revenues, claims the system avoids ticketing first responders. “Upon review, if the emergency lights (lights, sirens) are visible in the picture image captured, a ticket will not be issued as there is evidence that the vehicle was responding to an emergency,” states Michael Janisse, senior manager of communications.
Broader Patterns in Toronto and London
In Toronto, the Police Service conducts internal reviews for camera-detected speeding or red-light runs, docking pay only if no exemption applies. “If it is determined that no exemption applies, prescribed hours are docked from the officer’s pay as a penalty,” says Stephanie Sayer, manager of corporate communications.
London’s police union echoes Windsor’s concerns. President Gareth Harris describes a case where an officer lost six hours’ pay after a partial stop at a red light en route to a 911 call about a non-breathing infant, arriving before other responders to assist. Lights and sirens were active during the nighttime right turn. “That’s a pretty serious call in our estimation,” Harris says. “In most circumstances, I think most people would say that should be a justifiable offence.”
Harris advocates considering call urgency, weather, traffic, and timing for discipline decisions, which currently seem absent. However, the London Police Service affirms reviews: “If it is determined that the failure to stop was justified in the circumstances, there is no further action taken,” per media relations officer Const. Matthew Dawson.
Provincial Government’s Position
The Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General has not clarified if red-light camera tech was meant for disciplining first responders. A spokesperson directed inquiries to individual services: “Questions related to the internal disciplinary practices of police services or other emergency services should be directed to those organizations,” says Brent Ross.
