Sherwood Police toughen speeding rules
Mobile speed cameras are part of a new photo enforcement program
SHERWOOD, Ore. — As Sherwood grows, its police department remains focused on speeding and distracted driving.
Those efforts have been boosted thanks to the recent addition of mobile speed safety cameras on Oregon Street.
Sherwood has an existing intersection photo enforcement program that started in 2010, but the city says the new program is aimed at improving safety in areas where speeding and distracted driving have been ongoing problems.
From May 25 through June 22, the program had a one-time warning system. Citations started June 23.
Sherwood Public Information Officer Paul Mattson said residents have consistently identified speeding in neighborhoods and school zones as one of their top safety concerns.
“We’ve had this program since 2010 with the stationary cameras on Pacific Highway,” Mattson said. “We decided to expand the program by installing mobile speed cameras and specifically have them in residential or school zones to be able to help with the ability to do traffic enforcement on a regular basis, because patrol officers are doing multiple other things besides just traffic enforcement.”
Under the new program, two speed cameras are located on Oregon Street near the lower Roy Rogers Road intersection.
“We chose Oregon Street to be the first spot because Oregon Street has consistently been a street that community members have given feedback to us regarding people speeding on that road,” Mattson said, noting 1,045 violations were recorded in just over the first week.
These violations were handed to drivers who drove 11 miles an hour or more over the posted 25 mph speed limit.
“That kind of just goes to show why Oregon Street was chosen as a first location, because there’s such an issue there with people speeding through that residential area,” Mattson said.
The cameras will remain in place for at least 30 days before being moved to future locations, which will be announced in advance on city communication channels.
The project is funded through revenue from previous violations rather than tax dollars. Mattson said the goal is not to generate revenue but to encourage drivers to slow down and improve safety in neighborhoods and school zones.
Mattson said the department has been transparent about camera locations and citation thresholds and emphasized that the program was implemented only after review by the Sherwood Police Advisory Board and Sherwood City Council. Both groups supported the expansion following continued community concerns about speeding.
The pilot program is scheduled to run for one year, after which city officials will evaluate whether to continue, modify or expand it.
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Jules Rogers
