suntimes.com — To make good on his offer to help Chicago combat violence, Gov. Blagojevich envisions putting speed cameras on interstates across Illinois -- and using the revenue to form an "elite tactical team" that would operate in Chicago and other cities.
Aug 7, 2008 View in Crawl 4
larissa13Aug 7, 2008
Cameras instead of cops is never a good idea. Drivers on an expressway are never limited to criminals only, even if its a high crime area. I have no idea how they plan to justify a search for guns and drugs. "According to Trent, new State Police teams will stop motorists for traffic violations on Chicago expressways near high-crime areas. The troopers will also look for gun and drug violations". The camera plan doesnt work. It was tested in NC (not on expressways), it failed miserably; the program stalled and the money on the cameras was wasteful.
rizzo2008Aug 7, 2008
Its just dumb. They have used speed cameras across the UK and Europe for years and for many locales they are installed for the sole purpose of getting money. They can't distinguish between a person speeding up briefly to pass someone or emergency accelerations to get out of dangerous situations. They are all around useless and local and state governments will end up abusing them as a source of revenue and surveillance.
Closed AccountAug 7, 2008
Excellent idea !!
christianptriotAug 7, 2008
In the article the Gov. is quoted as stating he is doing this to help Chicago with its "out-of-control crime porblemn" BUT Chicago sould be very safe because no one can own or have a gun in Chicago - no permits to carry concealed; guns must be registered. HOW MUCH MORE safe can they be without the guns there?!?! Please note the heavy sarcasm of this - Chicago is NOT safer without armed citizens to defend themselves. On the contrary, they have such high crime because criminals know that the people there are DEFENSELESS victims waiting to be plucked. So the governor and mayor have decided to make people in Chicago safer by putting cameras hundreds of miles away on interstate highways...THAT makes sense.
Closed AccountAug 8, 2008
It looks to me like the State is consolidating its power to be used against the People.As the rate of this expansion increases so will reports of criminal conduct perpetrated by thuggish agents.What's needed now are some powerful citizen commissions to keep strict oversight of these people, or they'll be rampaging all over their State.