Due to limited resources many states use speed enforcement cameras—also known as photo or video enforcement—to take a digital photograph or video of a vehicle (and its license plate) that violates the speed limit. The use of speed enforcement cameras to issue speeding tickets or citations (mailed to the driver) has been controversial, with claims that it violates Constitutional rights.

Laws vary from state to state and in some states speed enforcement cameras are a permitted enforcement tool; in some states they are prohibited; and in some states they are prohibited unless permitted by a local ordinance (city or town).

To measure the speed of a moving vehicle and issue speeding tickets by photo enforcement, police departments generally use photo or video radar that relies on radio signals and the Doppler Effect or photo and video LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology that relies on lasers rather than radio waves. These devices require training on their proper use and regular calibration to be accurate.

In the state of Maine (ME), the use of speed enforcement cameras is not a common practice for issuing speeding tickets or citations. Maine law does not specifically authorize the widespread use of photo radar or photo enforcement for speed limit violations. Traditional methods of speed enforcement, such as direct observation by law enforcement officers using radar or LIDAR devices, are the standard practice. Officers using these devices are required to be properly trained in their use and must ensure that the equipment is regularly calibrated to maintain accuracy. While some states have embraced the use of speed cameras, Maine has not adopted this technology for the purpose of speed enforcement on a state-wide level. Local jurisdictions within Maine do not have the authority to implement their own speed camera programs without enabling legislation at the state level.