interstates are FEDERAL roads not state revenue enhancers...
Posted on 08/07/2008 4:17:02 AM PDT by SilvieWaldorfMD
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.
The idea is in its infancy, with no budget and no timetable.
About 50 Illinois State Police employees have been assigned to work with Chicago Police on everything from tracking down illegal gun buyers to hunting for criminals on Chicago's expressways, Guerrero said.
"I want to be judged not by the number of people we provide, but by the results we provide by the end of the year," State Police Director Larry Trent said.
The help comes a month after the governor offered to lend state troopers to fight what he labeled "out-of-control" crime. Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis welcomed the help, but insisted crime in the city remains at decades-low levels.
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. They can communicate with Chicago Police officers on radios and come to their aid when needed.
State Police special agents have been assigned to the Chicago Police Anti-Gun Enforcement Unit and will focus on guns used in teen violence. And troopers will be assigned to special events in the city such as the Taste of Chicago.
The State Police will provide planes to the Chicago Police for surveillance. And a new State Police unit will track gangs across the state, Trent said.
Chicago Police spokeswoman Monique Bond applauded the assignment of State Police agents to the gun team. "They can help us follow up on some of our investigations into illegal gun purchases," Bond said.
In the long term, the governor is considering installing speed cameras in each direction of every interstate in the 20 State Police districts across Illinois to raise $50 million a year in revenue -- enough for 500 more troopers. The money could support an "elite tactical team" and bolster everything from crash investigations to cold-case murder probes, Trent said.
Currently, camera-equipped vans nab speeders in construction zones, but state law does not allow speed cameras on interstates, Trent said.
In Arizona, 50 speed cameras will be deployed on highways by September with another 50 by January at a cost of about $20 million. The state hopes to raise $90 million a year by imposing $165 fines on vehicles going 10 mph over the speed limit or faster.
Asked what speeds Illinois motorists would have to hit before they would get nailed with a camera violation, Guerrero said, "It would have to be egregious -- 80 or 85 mph. We don't know yet."
Today the criminals tomorrow the Christians.
interstates are FEDERAL roads not state revenue enhancers...
Ping
Hey Blago, your “elite tactical team” already exists, it’s called the law-abiding citizens of Chicago.
Liberals go easy on criminals so they can form quasi-military units to go after criminals.
How long will it take for this "elite tactical team" to be accused of racism, violating 'civil rights' or some other liberal fantasy that they have used to neuter the Chicago Police Department?
State Police Director Larry Trent accidentally speaks the truth about traffic stops.
Blago never grew out of his infancy. "Howdy Doody" comes to mind...
Now, now, we can't let a technicality stand in the way of good idea, after all it's; for the children, may save lives, protects the environment, stops global warming, goes after big oil...
Just pick one a move along!
They will be much more at ease when the good governor has cameras in each their homes to ensure the that they are in total compliance with state laws at all times.
Carnie barkers are more honest than these thieving political creeps.
;-)
So, in Arizona, the REAL speed limit is 9 miles an hour over the posted speed limit.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!! You can't make this sh*t up!
Don't be trying to cloud the issue with the facts, C.
shoot....just put a camara in the house ..make sure I’m not firin’ up my Camel’s....cleaning my “assault rifles” , and allowing my 18 yr old kids to drink beer......
80 mph “egregious”? $165 for doing 10 over?
Just another way to screw the rest of the state and funnel the cash to the bloated black hole that is Chicago.
When I drive to my parents’ house in Lincoln, Iowa and Nebraska are a breeze to cruise through, but I grit my teeth the whole way through IL with 55 and 65 limits everywhere versus being able to cruise at a comfortable 80 through Iowa’s 70/75 limits.
Yet another way for the Chicago machine to keep us 3-4 decades behind the times...
Speeders, just like pot smokers usually move on to much bigger crimes. Better to stop them now.
What do you think the end result of the untiring and relentless efforts at a bigger, more expensive, more controlling, more instrusive, know-all benevolent, all powerful 'big brother' type of government will be?
Illinois is vying with California and New York to be the most big brother commie/liberal state.
So... speeding is a gateway crime?
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