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With the recent release of a report showing the broad success of speed cameras in Montgomery County, it's appropriate for City of Frederick officials to consider a similar program.

A state law went into effect Oct. 1 allowing speed cameras in school and road construction zones, and shortly after Mayor W. Jeff Holtzinger and the Board of Aldermen began talking about installing some.

A similar program that targets red-light runners has helped issue roughly 30,000 citations since it began in 2005, so politicians are favorable toward speed cameras. The only main point of concern comes from Alderman C. Paul Smith, who cautions that they should not be used simply to make money.

That's fair, and the city seems to be taking a measured approach by suggesting cameras only in school zones. It's important to note that the cameras will only target vehicles traveling at least 12 mph more than the speed limit; in some school zones, that could be nearly 50 percent faster than the limit.

Also, fines will not exceed $40 and any money collected must be spent on public safety. If revenue from the citations in a fiscal year is greater than 10 percent of the city's total revenue for the same year, the city must give anything more than 10 percent to the state comptroller. Not to mention that those cited have the chance to appear in court, just like with most other traffic citations.

However, the city will have to contend with more than just agitated, penny-pinching speeders. A number of speed camera vendors have recently been criticized for overcharging and bad management, including the failure to collect citation fees.

That could hurt the city's bond rating and end up costing more than any revenue generated. Caution and precision should be at the forefront of any contract negotiations for a vendor.

Still, the benefits to both public safety and the budget are clear.

Consider the Montgomery County program, in which collisions near speed camera sites dropped nearly 30 percent over a four-year period and collisions causing an injury or death dropped nearly 40 percent.

While opponents of cameras have legitimate questions about privacy and due process, it's hard to argue against clear results like these.

Another compelling number in the Montgomery County report is that 74 percent of drivers know about the speed camera program, so the idea that people are being spied on seems far-fetched.

Frederick Police Chief Kim Dine said the placement of speed cameras will allow officers to spend more time on other duties. The police department issues roughly 2,500 speeding citations a year. His point is well-taken, especially in a time when the city continues to grow and budgets to increase staff will remain tight for some time (the police budget was cut by nearly 4 percent in fiscal 2010).