SNELLVILLE, Ga.,None — Several local police departments in Gwinnett County went 14 months without radars and lasers to write speeding tickets.
A three-year-long lawsuit between cities and the county stripped officers' ability to bust speeders the quickest and easiest way.
The battle was over whether residents who live in cities like Snellville should have to pay for policing and fire for residents in unincorporated Gwinnett County.
Channel 2's Craig Lucie tagged along with Snellville Police Officer Scott Smith on Monday.
Several people came up to him saying they were relieved he was enforcing the speed limit.
"They knew that Snellville could not radar, so it was like a free pass for everybody," said Brenda Croft who used to watch Smith write tickets everyday more than a year ago. She works at Horsetown East where Smith likes to park to catch drivers speeding by.
The lawsuit came with temporary rules for multiple police departments in Gwinnett County until it was settled.
"The sanctions that were applied prevented us from running radar and laser in traffic enforcement because the state couldn't issue us a permit during that time," explained Snellville Police Chief Roy Whitehead.
The permit arrived on Whitehead's desk Monday morning, which allowed Smith to do what he does best.
"It's just another tool that is very nice to have. We've done fine without it, but I'm not going to lie, it's nice to have it back," Smith said.
Employees at Horsetown East counted Smith write 14 tickets to drivers who admitted that luxury tool, the laser, should be put back to work for a number of reasons.
"It's great for the revenue. Getting that money in, but it's definitely going to make me slow down again," said Megan Johnson.
Lucie also spoke with Melissa Franklin moments after Smith pulled her over.
"I think it's great. They need to control speeding," said Franklin.
Snellville police say just to have officers out with their radar guns creates a presence that gets drivers to slow down. They think it will be a week or two before word spreads that they're back and everyone will start to slow down again.
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