The Port St. Lucie city commission voted 3-1 to implement a red light camera program, framing it as a ‘force multiplier’ to supplement an understaffed police department and reduce severe angle crashes. Proponents argue the cameras deter dangerous driving, especially given the city’s officer-to-resident ratio is well below the national average. However, the decision faces significant criticism. Opponents, including one commissioner, point to federal data showing such systems increase rear-end collisions. A local expert also highlighted the perverse financial incentive of the vendor business model, which profits from issuing citations rather than eliminating violations. Critics argue that visible, live police enforcement provides a more effective and widespread deterrent than a ticket received in the mail weeks later.