D.C. to expand use of cameras

THE WASHINGTON TIMES ^ | 2/24/05 | Jim McElhatton

[pageonetoo]

Metropolitan Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey yesterday outlined a plan to expand the District's use of speed and red-light cameras, but was not aware of details to reimburse a private contractor for issuing as many as 103,000 traffic-camera citations a month.

Chief Ramsey said the police department is preparing to add at least 10 red-light cameras to the 39 devices already installed at city intersections. He said police also will add several speed cameras, including two new vans to monitor motorists in construction zones.

"We are implementing these program expansions with the strong support of the communities who will benefit from them," he said at a special D.C. Council hearing on the department's use of the automated technology.

The expansion comes two months after city officials agreed in a contract extension to pay more money to ACS State & Local Solutions if the company mails out more traffic citations. The Washington Times reported on the contract yesterday.

Under a new arrangement, the District is paying ACS a fixed fee of $651,735 per month, according to the six-month contract extension approved in December. The previous monthly fee was $759,992.

However, the contract extension includes a new provision that says if ACS handles more than 53,750 citations in any given month, the city must pay the company an extra $19,500 to $23,000 for every group of 2,500 citations that exceeds the monthly threshold...

[DC native]

Mexico on the Potomac.

[DC native]

Is that the living ones or the dead ones?

[GOPcapitalist]

They're turning D.C. into speed trap city. We've gotten three speed camera tickets.

You got that right. There's a TERRIBLE speed camera spot they've got rigged up near the D.C. side of the Chain Bridge. It's at the bottom of a steep hill, so virtually everybody who doesn't ride his brakes down the entire hill is going above the speed limit when he passes it. Of course in states where they don't have cameras they simply stick cops at the bottom of hills to the same effect.

Either way, it's all a REVENUE RACKET and sadly there's not one damn thing the average citizen can do about it in 99% of the cases. These speeding cameras and ticket rackets are government coercion at its worst - IMHO no different than an extortionist organized crime ring between the city/county government, their police forces, and the camera companies.

[Forgotten Amendments]

That's because the majority of DC residents do not own cars nor do they work for the money they would pay the tickets with if they did drive.

You ever write newsletters for Ron Paul? ;)

Actually, here's a politician I'd support!

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/02/rev-bill-bennett-candidate-for-d-c-council-to-protest-speeding-enforcement-in-southeast-72370.html

They turned out a big crowd today warning of the trap. They may be DC liberals, but they are great Americans, IMHO. There was a story just like this last week on the whitest side of town. As long as you stay away from PA AVE, there are still liberty loving Americans in DC.

[Forgotten Amendments]

Oops. I’m 7 yrs late. Sorry.