We'll put a camera over your camera... (Bowie, Upper Marlboro: schools, community college)

[rsh56]

Says PG police:

New cameras to watch cameras that watch you - WTOP.com.

Ari Ashe, wtop.com
PALMER PARK, Md. - Many people find speed cameras frustrating, and some in the region are taking their rage out on the cameras themselves.

But now there's a new solution: cameras to watch the cameras.

One is already in place, and Prince George's County Police Maj. Robert V. Liberati hopes to have up to a dozen more before the end of the year.

"It's not worth going to jail over a $40 ticket or an arson or destruction of property charge," says Liberati.

Liberati is the Commander of the Automated Enforcement Section, which covers speed and red-light cameras.

Since April, six people have damaged speed cameras.

On April 6, someone pulled a gun out and shot a camera on the 11400 block of Duley Station Road near U.S. 301 in Upper Marlboro, Md.

Two weeks later, a speed camera was flipped over at 500 Harry S. Truman Drive, near Prince George's Community College. Police believe several people were involved because of the weight of the camera itself.

Then in May, someone walked up to a camera on Brightseat Road near FedEx Field, cut off one of the four legs, and left.

"I guess that makes a statement, but we were able to just attach another leg," says Liberati.

But when someone burned down a speed camera on Race Track Road near Bowie State College on July 3, Liberati and his colleagues began to rethink their strategy.

"It costs us $30,000 to $100,000 to replace a camera. That's a significant loss in the program. Plus it also takes a camera off the street that operates and slows people down. So there's a loss of safety for the community," says Liberati

The Prince George's County Police Department decided it needed to catch the vandals, or at least deter them.

"The roads are choked, there are lots of drivers on them. I think traffic itself is the cause of frustration (towards speed cameras). But, we have a duty to make the roads safe, even if takes a couple extra minutes to get to your destination. Unfortunately, that's the Washington area, the place we live in," says Liberati.

Speed cameras themselves can't be used for security because under Maryland law speed cameras can only take pictures of speeding, says Liberati.

"We've taken the additional step of marking our cameras to let people know that there is surveillance."

Liberati says the cameras aren't a case of Big Brother nor a cash grab, police are simply trying to keep the public safe from reckless drivers.

Uhh how about no?

[vicnice]

Life is sooooo wonderful in MD. Glad to see they are fixing schools!!! And now there are extra cameras to make life even easier!

[wisedisguise]

"It costs us $30,000 to $100,000 to replace a camera. That's a significant loss in the program. Plus it also takes a camera off the street that operates and slows people down. So there's a loss of safety for the community," says Liberati

Liberati says the cameras aren't a case of Big Brother nor a cash grab, police are simply trying to keep the public safe from reckless drivers.



What this tells me is it is all about the revenue and has nothing to do with safety.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by vicnice

Life is sooooo wonderful in MD. Glad to see they are fixing schools!!! And now there are extra cameras to make life even easier!

Err..

Washington Post

[gggjfg]

Interesting article in the Washington Post.

What it doesn't say is that the kids are smarter.

Just a lot of statistical dancing and money spent to make things look good.

I seem to recall when I lived in the area, the educational system was caught "cookin' the books" when it came to academic achievement.

Jusy saying

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by wisedisguise

Liberati says the cameras aren't a case of Big Brother nor a cash grab, police are simply trying to keep the public safe from reckless drivers.

That's BS.

[Zimar]

I'm not one to freak out over the speed cameras, but yeah, this is taking it a bit too far into Big Brother territory. It would be sort of funny if it weren't so pathetic.

[Phyxius]

Quotes from the original post that caught my attention.

It costs us $30,000 to $100,000 to replace a camera. That's a significant loss in the program. Plus it also takes a camera off the street that operates and slows people down. So there's a loss of safety for the community," says Liberati

Then don't replace them if money is a concern. Re-evaluate the location of the camera as well as the posted speed limit.

The roads are choked, there are lots of drivers on them. I think traffic itself is the cause of frustration (towards speed cameras). But, we have a duty to make the roads safe, even if takes a couple extra minutes to get to your destination. Unfortunately, that's the Washington area, the place we live in," says Liberati.

If the goal is to make the roads safe, then make them safe. Redesign the layout of the road, put a new alignment.

Speed cameras themselves can't be used for security because under Maryland law speed cameras can only take pictures of speeding, says Liberati.

So it cost up to $100,000 to replace a camera but there is no concern about adding another camera to watch the speed camera that was replaced? That makes no sense at all.

"We've taken the additional step of marking our cameras to let people know that there is surveillance."

Liberati says the cameras aren't a case of Big Brother nor a cash grab, police are simply trying to keep the public safe from reckless drivers.

Reckless driving can fall under other violations that are ignored by law enforcements. Speeding is not the only thing that constitutes reckless driving. Anyone can drive the posted speed limit and ignore the yellow lines that separates the direction of traffic. For speed cameras to be efficient, the speed limit of the road has to be fair. If not, then they will be ignored. So technically, it is a cash grab because the speed limits do not match the roadway. If you want people to drive 35 mph, then the road should be design for 35 mph.

[Nick Ginster]

Yep, what the speeding/red light cameras don't see are the folks who refuse to use turn signals, run stop signs, driving excessively fast and other dangers only the human eye can see. Basically - what a live cop would see. They turn a blind eye to most of it because it involves interfacing with a driver and that involves paperwork - maybe work in general. The police officer mindset is a funny one in these days.

[JBPisgah]

Originally Posted by Phyxius

Quotes from the original post that caught my attention.
Then don't replace them if money is a concern. Re-evaluate the location of the camera as well as the posted speed limit.

If the goal is to make the roads safe, then make them safe. Redesign the layout of the road, put a new alignment.

So it cost up to $100,000 to replace a camera but there is no concern about adding another camera to watch the speed camera that was replaced? That makes no sense at all.


Reckless driving can fall under other violations that are ignored by law enforcements. Speeding is not the only thing that constitutes reckless driving. Anyone can drive the posted speed limit and ignore the yellow lines that separates the direction of traffic. For speed cameras to be efficient, the speed limit of the road has to be fair. If not, then they will be ignored. So technically, it is a cash grab because the speed limits do not match the roadway. If you want people to drive 35 mph, then the road should be design for 35 mph.

I'm a slow driver, but I hate the feeling of being monitored all the time.