Brockton Police to Issue Citations Through School Bus Cameras Under New State Law

Massachusetts has enacted a new automated camera enforcement policy that can issue tickets to drivers who pass school buses with stop signs extended and red lights flashing, even when no officer is present.

Brockton police officials told The Enterprise they will issue citations based on video from bus-mounted cameras. Penalties start at $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense, and $1,000 for the third.

Since the policy took effect, Brockton Police Lt. Paul Bonanca said that four citations have already been issued through the automated system, as reported at a Jan. 20 Brockton School committee meeting.

Bonanca, who serves as the school police liaison, argues that school police lack enough officers to monitor all 24 district properties around the clock. He noted that automated enforcement is a necessary measure to improve school bus safety.

The move to implement an automated camera system on school buses follows ongoing concerns about drivers failing to stop for buses in school zones. Parents and school officials raised these concerns following a March 2024 incident in which a Hancock Elementary student was struck by a driver who ignored a school bus's flashing red lights and activated stop sign.