NEWS

Davidson residents may have seen the recent Charlotte Observer article describing how many police speed detectors have not been properly certified. Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather reminded law enforcement officials of the need to comply with North Carolina statutes regarding RADAR certifications. Specifically, RADAR and LIDAR equipment certifications must be wholly consistent with NCGS s. 80-50.2(c). This means that the person approving the certification is certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

What’s the case in Davidson?

Davidson Police Chief Kim Davidson confirmed with the police department’s RADAR vendor that they hold all appropriate FCC licenses. The vendor provided copies of those FCC licenses, and the Davidson Police Department furthermore provided that verification to the Mecklenburg District Attorney’s office for review.

Why is this important?

Had the Davidson Police Department not contracted with an appropriately licensed vendor, the District Attorney’s office and the Davidson Police Department would have a mandatory obligation to disclose this information in every case pursuant to a Supreme Court ruling, Brady v Maryland. While speed detection devices are typically only used in court to supplement the testimony of a trained police officer, the verification of RADAR certifications means no speeding citations in Davidson should be affected.

The Davidson Police Department remains committed to excellence in all aspects of policing and understands trust is earned daily through continual engagement and communication with the community we serve.

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