City Installs AI Cameras To Automatically Ticket ‘Rolling Stops’ at 3‐Minute Public Testimony Limit

TAKOMA PARK, MD – After successfully installing AI-powered stop sign cameras across town, the City of Takoma Park has unveiled Phase Two: automated detection of residents making “rolling stops” at the three-minute mark for public comments at council meetings.

“We’ve seen a dangerous pattern,” said Ward 6 Councilmember Amy Wesolek during a presentation titled Civic Deceleration Compliance Initiative. “People slow down at 2:55, say ‘in conclusion,’ and then introduce three more points about stormwater management concerns. That’s a yield, not a stop.”

The new AI cameras use facial recognition and voice analysis to measure a commentors verbal forward momentum. If a speaker exceeds 180 seconds, an automatic $40 citation is generated and mailed with a still image of the offender mid-syllable. 

Several residents insist the system is flawed.

“I definitely stopped,” said longtime resident Kim Shirley, holding a citation showing her mouth slightly open beneath a red countdown clock. “That was a reflective inhale. I swear I was no longer advancing.”

The complaints echo those from drivers ticketed by the city’s new AI stop sign cameras, many of whom maintain they came to a complete halt before receiving a fine in the mail. “The system measures intent,” explained a consultant. “If there’s a slight forward lean – verbally or emotionally – the cameras register continued movement.”

Privacy advocates have raised concerns that the cameras now store personal information, such as biometric data and vocal signatures. A city spokesperson reassured residents that the data is secure and shared only with enforcement vendors, subcontractors, and a cloud-based analytics partner testing an alert that notifies officials of speakers with a history of asking “can I just finish my last sentence?”

“We are not surveilling anyone,” said Ward 2 Councilmember Cindy Dyballa. “We are simply trying to change the behavior of public commenters to vulnerable listeners from being sideswiped by additional anecdotes.”

Residents are now advised to practice ending comments with a clear verbal period, lowered hands, and three seconds of visible stillness before leaving the podium. Failure to do so may result in additional fines, or worse, land them in a restorative justice session.