Rockford Police (Chicago: insurance, crime, taxes)

[Havasu]

Why is it that the Rockford Police can sit in cars and take radar to get the person who might be going 48 in a 45 but they cant fight the crime that is out of control. Please patrol more and do less radar taking.
Nov 07, 2007 @ 12:14 PM

RRSTAR.COM STAFF REPORTS

ROCKFORD - Police ticketed 34 drivers for speeding Tuesday during a special patrol in the 1400 block of North Second Street and the 1900 block of East State Street.
They also stopped drivers for several other violations, netting 47 citations.
Of the 47 citations, seven were for driver’s license violations; four were for insurance violations; one was for a city-sticker violation; and one was for a registration violation. One person was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Three people were jailed.
Police used radar to stop speeders, and officials say they’ll target the same locations again.

[Steve-o]

Tickets generate revenue, thats the bottom line. And while they should not be ignoring other crimes, it still is a crime to speed, and Im sure the police get called more about speeders than they do burglars. Just a thought...

[Havasu]

I thought the high taxes were a way to generate revenue?
There are worse crimes then speeding. Thats who they should be targeting.
Not the person who is going to or from work.
Nice to see you Steve-O

[HOWELL_STREET]

Back in the late 1950s, a small town in Georgia set up a super - grand speed trap. Now perhaps this was before electronic radar, but I don't remember. Years ago, the police would mark off a section of the street with white lines on the pavement. Then the police would use a stop watch to check one's speed.

However, the system worked for that town - - until - - the Chicago Tribune picked up on the story. Soon after the article appeared in the Tribune, people on their way to a Florida vacation started avoiding the town. Soon, the local constabulary got the message and then behaved themselves in a better manner.

In the long run, it doesn't work for a community to set up an obnoxious speed trap. Therefore, start avoiding that particular area unless you absolutely have to drive through there.

Carter Glass

[M TYPE X]

Originally Posted by HOWELL_STREET

Back in the late 1950s, a small town in Georgia set up a super - grand speed trap. Now perhaps this was before electronic radar, but I don't remember. Years ago, the police would mark off a section of the street with white lines on the pavement. Then the police would use a stop watch to check one's speed.

However, the system worked for that town - - until - - the Chicago Tribune picked up on the story. Soon after the article appeared in the Tribune, people on their way to a Florida vacation started avoiding the town. Soon, the local constabulary got the message and then behaved themselves in a better manner.

In the long run, it doesn't work for a community to set up an obnoxious speed trap. Therefore, start avoiding that particular area unless you absolutely have to drive through there.

Carter Glass

What Carter said. I would go so far as to boycott entire cities or regions that act this way.

[Drover]

Everyone says "go chase real criminals" until people start racing down the street in front of their house. Then all of a sudden they understand the value of keeping speeders under control. As for the "go catch real criminals" gamut, cops can't predict the future. They can't "go catch real criminals" until someone actually calls and reports a crime. In the meantime, they might as well run radar.

I also didn't see anything in your story that claims they're nabbing people for doing 3 over the limit like the OP implies. I've driven right past Rockford cops doing the standard 5-8 MPH over the limit without them giving me a second glance. As far as I can tell, Rockford police are no more or less reasonable than any random municipality.

[M TYPE X]

'Hello, McFly! Anybody home?! He just said the municipality is crime-filled and impoverished! They need money, so they catch speeders! Criminals COST money to process. What a stupid Butthead!"

[wakeboarder5287]

In reference to speeding: Its the Illinois State patrol you have to watch out for in Rockford, not the Rockford police.

[M TYPE X]

Originally Posted by wakeboarder5287

In reference to speeding: Its the Illinois State patrol you have to watch out for in Rockford, not the Rockford police.

On I-90 or in town??

[Havasu]

Watch out on any road with double yellow lines. And yes I 90