Staten Island Speed Cameras Issue 100x More Tickets Than NYPD

Automated enforcement tools generate massive revenue as NYPD issues fewer speeding tickets.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 9:50am

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Staten Island has seen a dramatic drop in speeding tickets issued by the NYPD over the past decade, falling 41% from 7,234 in 2015 to just 4,288 in 2025. However, the number of tickets issued by the city's automated speed cameras has skyrocketed, with 441,367 violations in 2025 - more than 100 times the NYPD's total. Citywide, speed cameras issued 4.5 million tickets in 2025, about 45 times the 96,276 tickets written by police.

Why it matters

The rise of automated speed enforcement has sparked debate over whether the cameras are truly about public safety or just a revenue-generating tactic. Some officials argue the 24/7 operation of the cameras, even when schools are closed, is an overreach. The declining NYPD enforcement also raises questions about the department's priorities and staffing levels.

The details

Staten Island saw a 41% drop in NYPD-issued speeding tickets over the past decade, from 7,234 in 2015 to 4,288 in 2025. Citywide, speeding tickets fell 28% during that time. However, the number of tickets issued by the city's network of over 2,000 speed cameras has exploded, with 441,367 violations on Staten Island in 2025 and 4.5 million citywide - 45 times the NYPD total. The city plans to expand 15 mph speed limits to 700 more school zones, which could lead to even more camera-issued tickets.

  • In 2015, the NYPD issued 7,234 speeding tickets on Staten Island.
  • In 2025, the NYPD issued 4,288 speeding tickets on Staten Island, a 41% drop from 2015.
  • In 2025, speed cameras on Staten Island issued 441,367 tickets, over 100 times more than the NYPD.
  • In 2025, there were 4,477,372 speed camera violations citywide, about 45 times more than the 96,276 NYPD speeding tickets.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The Mayor of New York City who announced plans to expand 15 mph speed limits to 700 more school zones across the city.

Vito Fossella

The Borough President of Staten Island who questioned the reasoning behind the 24/7 operation of speed cameras, even when schools are closed.

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What they’re saying

“Lower speeds save lives, and we will use every tool at our disposal to protect our neighbors as they move about our city. Today's expansion of Slow Zones for schools across all five boroughs is just the beginning.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor

“The city just announced that it will be reducing speed limits in school zones to 15 miles per hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Nobody is against slowing traffic down around a school to keep kids safe. But, in all seriousness, how many kids are hanging around a school at 3:00 in the morning, or on a Saturday or Sunday?”

— Vito Fossella, Borough President

What’s next

The city plans to expand 15 mph speed limits to 700 more school zones across New York City by the end of the current mayor's first term.

The takeaway

The rise of automated speed enforcement on Staten Island and across New York City has led to a dramatic increase in speeding tickets, even as traditional NYPD enforcement has declined. This has sparked debate over whether the cameras are truly about public safety or just a revenue-generating tactic for the city.