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Old 01-04-2017, 05:06 PM
 
Location: Sugar Land
2,465 posts, read 5,761,220 times
Reputation: 2733

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Let me start with thanking our police force and firefighters as well. Very noble job indeed. And yes I read the SL police statistics and reports, one of the safest city in USA.

That being said I couldn't help to notice the increased police intrusion in Sugar Land, particularly in the newly build Riverstone area as well some areas around St. Laurence church. See the attached picture for the Sugar Land police mobile monitoring stations. One station is near St Laurence church and another one (same model) on LJ Parkway near Commonwealth. These sophisticated mobile police stations can do everything from traffic monitoring, real time CCTV and license plates scanning / recording, so as far as my concern goes that is way intrusive (license plates scanning?) Trust me I looked up the mobile station model and got all the specs. All is missing is a freaking stingray module (cell phone snooping) and we will be complete. Contact me offline if you need more info on the mobile stations specs.

I also couldn't help to notice the overwhelming amount of SL Police traffic on University. SL police SUV's going up and down non stop. Worse part is they're pulling over and ticketing all the hard working mexicans trying to make an honest living, but this is just my personal observation. Regardless, wayyy too much police traffic on University.

Lastly as a NICE Christmas gift they just installed a red light camera on University and Elkins Rd. My first reaction was like WTF? University was just opened and now they have a red light camera already? Talking abut QUICK statistics? Man why don't you put 2 for the price of one? To exit Sugar Land now you will have to go through either HW6 or University which now both have red light cameras. I wonder how the red light camera will impact traffic on University. I have nothing good to say about the red light cameras. I am religious about stop signs and red lights. My wife actually got in an accident on HW6 (red light camera) due to someone trying to beat the light and avoid a camera ticket (and the other person acknowledged that). But lets not go this route.....and have a discussion about the ed light cameras... they all intrusive as far as my concern goes.... and look at the statistics as well as Houston failed record on these cameras.

With all the mobile police stations, newly installed red light cameras and increased police presence, couldn't this just be a money play rather than "serve and protect". Just curious about other people opinions and observations on this matter.

Keep it constructive please, this is not about police or anything like that, but hey even police can go overboard. My only beef is the intrusion, license plate readers, red light cameras and such. What is NEXT?
Attached Thumbnails
Police intrusion in Sugar Land, is this the new norm?-sl-1.jpg   Police intrusion in Sugar Land, is this the new norm?-sl-2.jpg  

Last edited by ethanw; 01-04-2017 at 05:36 PM..

 
Old 01-04-2017, 05:38 PM
 
15,088 posts, read 7,138,928 times
Reputation: 18955
I can't think of a good reason for the police to be scanning license plates unless the data isn't kept, but then, what's the point.

Red light cameras aren't installed by the police. Red light camera tickets are a civil infraction, not a crime.
 
Old 01-04-2017, 05:55 PM
 
Location: Middle America
10,948 posts, read 6,991,865 times
Reputation: 16827
If a person isn't running from the law, it this a big issue? This type of surveillance is normal and pretty much everywhere in large metropolitan areas (probably more than you realize). Many would see this as way to cut down on crime, as well as bring in money from deadbeats. Many would also see this means of sophisticated technology as a bonus, being put to use. It's not going away.
 
Old 01-04-2017, 06:45 PM
 
Location: Sugar Land
2,465 posts, read 5,761,220 times
Reputation: 2733
I am not running from the law nor I have something to hide. Yet the "normal" you describe is very intrusive for me. Why scan my license plate when you have no business to do so? I guess the next technology advancement is a device to hide your license plate unless you have a "legal" reason to scan it or see it?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thoreau424 View Post
If a person isn't running from the law, it this a big issue? This type of surveillance is normal and pretty much everywhere in large metropolitan areas (probably more than you realize). Many would see this as way to cut down on crime, as well as bring in money from deadbeats. Many would also see this means of sophisticated technology as a bonus, being put to use. It's not going away.
 
Old 01-04-2017, 07:29 PM
 
Location: Pacific 🌉 °N, 🌄°W
11,761 posts, read 7,204,920 times
Reputation: 7528
Quote:
Originally Posted by ethanw View Post
I am not running from the law nor I have something to hide. Yet the "normal" you describe is very intrusive for me. Why scan my license plate when you have no business to do so?
It's a government issued plate...they have the right to scan it for purposes related to law enforcement.

SUGAR LAND PUTS NEW CRIME PREVENTION CAMERA NETWORK INTO OPERATION
 
Old 01-04-2017, 09:15 PM
 
Location: Sugar Land
2,465 posts, read 5,761,220 times
Reputation: 2733
Thanks for the link partner. I hope their 1.6 Mill investment is worth it. I wonder how they calculate their ROI. Mexicans tickets on Riverstone?

As for government issued plates and the right to do whatever they want to do with it, that is a very interesting aspect. The way I look at is that license plate is a unique PERSONAL identifier and you have to comply to specific privacy rules or laws. SSN and Driver Licenses are government issued artifacts but we're not asked to scan them everywhere we go? Now the privacy laws in USA are sh*i*te unlike Europe so yes we're screwed. It just bugs me that "someone" knows where my "license plate' moves every hour, every day, and NO the the 30 days we delete the data sh*i*te doesn't fly with me at all. Deleting the data is just cheap BS. Our data is stored FOREVER.

And if not related to law enforcement why would they scan and keep my license plate? Sounds to me like scan all and see what we can catch. I don't like it at all.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Matadora View Post
It's a government issued plate...they have the right to scan it for purposes related to law enforcement.

SUGAR LAND PUTS NEW CRIME PREVENTION CAMERA NETWORK INTO OPERATION
 
Old 01-04-2017, 09:37 PM
 
1,478 posts, read 1,498,563 times
Reputation: 3411
You just want them to look at the criminals plates, not yours right?
 
Old 01-04-2017, 10:04 PM
 
Location: Sugar Land
2,465 posts, read 5,761,220 times
Reputation: 2733
NO. I just want them to stop invading my privacy. Simple as that.....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lbjen View Post
You just want them to look at the criminals plates, not yours right?
 
Old 01-04-2017, 10:40 PM
 
Location: Pacific 🌉 °N, 🌄°W
11,761 posts, read 7,204,920 times
Reputation: 7528
Quote:
Originally Posted by ethanw View Post
Thanks for the link partner.
My pleasure partner.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ethanw View Post
As for government issued plates and the right to do whatever they want to do with it, that is a very interesting aspect. The way I look at is that license plate is a unique PERSONAL identifier and you have to comply to specific privacy rules or laws.
Well here's my little story about my TX licence plate. I grew up in Houston...lived there all of my life until I moved to CA in 2010. I drove my car from Houston to CA. When I registered my car with the CA DMV they took my TX plates. Yes took them!!!...I was stunned! I thought who the hell do they think they are taking my life long TX plates away from me?

Not only that, they took my TX driver's licence and cut out the entire top portion...basically destroyed my TX drivers license.

Had I known they were going to take my plates I would have at least only given them one and kept the other as a token of my love for Houston.
 
Old 01-04-2017, 10:41 PM
 
10 posts, read 11,190 times
Reputation: 35
I can see why you would feel your privacy is being invaded. But keep in mind the right to drive is a privalage, not something that is owed to you. Going with that, the state issues your license plate. It is not your property. They have the right to check each and every license plate that they wish. I can tell you for a fact that the license plate scanners do not tell you the drivers race. If somebody is pulled over is there just a slight chance they MAY have done something to get pulled over? As for the statistics that traffic camera cause accidents, I think you are dead wrong. I have never seen a traffic camera "speed up" to get through a yellow or oh my gosh this light turned red way too quick light. PEOPLE speed up to get through the lights. People choose to run them. What we have is a problem with society that thinks it's ok to run a light that just hasn't been green long enough. People that forget they are supposed to come to a complete stop before turning right at a red light. Your victim spouse was hit by somebodies negligence for traffic rules, not because a camera stepped on their accelerator.
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