Cops Don't Like Red Light Cameras Too..!!

“This is nuts,” said one West Palm officer who asked that his name not be used. “Where’s the professional courtesy? I heard a Florida Highway Patrol guy and a Greenacres Police officer already got caught Saturday. This is not going to last!

“I know cops rarely get cited while off-duty, and I never heard of one cited on-duty. It’s going to open a can of worms.”

The officer was not claiming that the violation did not occur; rather the beef was that "professional courtesy" was not possible.

If the officer was on duty and responding to an emergency (if shown on dispatch records) then the ticket should be waived - otherwise they should abide by the laws like everyone else.

As "jgermann" said in their post..

The unnamed West Palm Officer said.. "This is nuts. It’s going to open a can of worms because professional courtesy wouldn't be possible."

It's obvious from the Officer's response that they feel some people are more equal than others. I mean after all, why should some LEO's have to follow the same laws that us commoners are being sited by those same LEO's who broke that same law?

So in one sense they're right.. "It's going to open up a can of worms," maybe for the better.

Nuvi1300WTGPS

It's called having the Brass Pass. If you're stopped you just show your badge and, usually you're on your way with a wink and a nod.

The courtesy is generally extended to wives/husbands of officers as well and sometimes to other family members.

There are officers who will still issue the ticket but they're not appreciated by the general LEO populace.

...that's probably the only positive ...what red light cameras are good for...and they don't like it...

They are getting the same treatment as we do. I think they should get couple the fine since they should know better. I know they would not care when it comes to the general public.

A couple weeks ago, a municipal official from the MD/DC area, that uses plenty of speed and red light cameras, called people that use camera vicinity warning devices a bunch of cowards.

Actually a lot of cops don't like ticket cameras for the same constitutional issues that the general public brings up. They know what their city is up to and their motivation for doing so.

As one cop on the middle link got it so wrong.

The Constitution says you get to face your accuser. How many have asked to have the camera come into court to testify?

So they changed it to a tort and not a crime. It's all about the money.

West Palm Beach's Mayor getting tangled in her own web.

http://www.page2live.com/2010/05/13/smile-mayor-frankel-your...

Linked in one of your pages above - this is priceless. Thank you.

Wow, I wonder how that turned out since that was back in May.

The wonderful thing about red light cameras is, they don't discriminate. I didn't realize they were only supposed to be for "non-connected people?" I thought they were for "red light runners?"

My Nephew is a Chief Of Police and he says that they review all red light tickets before they go out and they have a list of people that routinely get excused. Sucks, right?

And where they said so? They only protesting because it's started working against them. Cops don't mind if some "civilian" gets a ticket. But all the sudden they are up to arms when one of their own gets slapped.

You can be sure, that if there will be a formal law introduced that will automatically cancel all tickets from RLC to - in this case - police, you will immediately here from them how much they approve of RLCs because they save lifes, eliminate accidents and any other bs you can think of.

Police mentality is simple: any punitive law is ok, as long as police can brake it with impunity. And a few "good apples" doesn't really make a change.

After I moved away, my sister was a cop in the same small town where we grew up. I never had verification, but it was common knowledge that I would've gotten a pass from everyone on the force except for her. All for being her brother...

The funny thing to me is that where I worked their was a union which would protest or maybe even strike if jobs were lost to automation without some concessions from management.

Don't red light cameras replace LEO's? I would think all LEO's would be upset at automation replacing them.

These cameras are not about safety.

Obviously, with a statement like that...

...You're gonna have to answer to the Coca-Cola company.

Well, if you are the cop, you were replaced by a camera and flashbulb.

Ouch!

I wouldn't bring more attention to it.

That is the whole idea of this machine, you know. Deterrence is the art of producing in the mind of the driver the FEAR to run the red light. And so, because of the automated and irrevocable decision-making process which rules out human meddling, the red light camera is terrifying and simple to understand and completely credible and convincing.

I was waiting to see if someone was going to say this. If one camera can patrol an intersection 24hrs a day, then that is one or two less officers who have to work that intersection a couple hours/day. Multiply this by 10 cameras/intersections, and you effectively lost 1-2 officers by these cameras alone. I'd bet it's the cops on the verge of losing their jobs for performance that most hate the cameras.

That's how it work in California (it's year old news, but I don't think it will ever change).

Assemblyman Jeff Miller (R-Corona) introduced legislation to close the loophole in existing privacy laws that allow judges, off-duty police officers, legislators, prosecutors, jail guards, social workers, park rangers, city councilmen, dog catchers, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employees, zoo veterinarians, firefighters and their families to drive on toll roads for free and blow through red lights at will because they are immune to automated fines.
source: http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/31/3105.asp

And if you belong to the "right" group there is no need to worry about RLC cameras: http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/34/3419.asp