The school safety camera program announced during the summer by Henry County officials is now in the early stages of implementation, with the initial violators getting their pictures taken this week.

  The program began Monday with a 30-day warning period in the Luella and Union Grove school zones, according to a statement posted November 13 on the Henry County Police Department’s Facebook page, which also stated that speed limits will vary by district.

  The county announced in July that speed detection cameras with built-in license plate recognition would be installed around several school clusters, including Hampton, Locust Grove, Luella, Ola and Stockbridge. A study conducted shortly before that announcement revealed that in a single day, more than 3,000 motorists exceeded the speed limit by at least 10 miles per hour.

  “The installed cameras have the ability to remotely view feeds in real time and will also aid the HCPD’s mission to encourage voluntary speed compliance and enhance the overall safety of the county’s students, pedestrians and motorists,” according to a statement.

  The November 13 post outlined several stipulations regarding the initial rollout of the new program. Citations will only be issued when school is in session, from one hour before the school day begins until one hour after it is completed, and motorists will only be cited if they exceed the school zone limit by 10 miles per hour.

  Officials with the HCPD pointed out that reducing a motorist’s speed by as little as five miles per hour can double a child’s chance of survival if struck by a vehicle.

  The camera program is also expected to increase the safety of the department’s own officers, since it will eliminate the need to pull motorists over and write tickets on the side of a busy road, which can be dangerous.

  Violator fines can be used to purchase vehicles and other needed law enforcement equipment, officials said, in effect reducing the burden on taxpayers.