Cops Say Camera Caught Driver Smoking Pot

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-camera12.html ^ | 8-12-03 | Frank Main

[OXENinFLA]

Camera's first catch gets felony drug charge

As Marcus D. Jackson smoked dope in a blue Chevy Caprice, he had no idea anyone was watching, police say.

But about a block away, officers were monitoring his every move on a surveillance camera set up at Augusta and Pulaski to target crimes both serious and minor that bring down the neighborhood's quality of life.

When they swooped in and arrested Jackson, the officers allegedly found $20 worth of pot and Ecstasy, a so-called "club drug," valued at $60.

The 1:30 a.m. Saturday bust was the first one for Operation Disruption, which saw its first cameras installed two weeks ago.

"What you are seeing is people are getting used to the cameras and going back to their old behavior," said Pat Camden, a Chicago police spokesman. "And we are there watching them."

The officers who collared Jackson are part of a new 100-member team, the Targeted Response Unit, which is patrolling the West Side's Harrison police district, typically the city's most murderous place.

The unit swarmed into the area at the beginning of August and in a week recovered 11 guns, impounded 87 vehicles and made 284 arrests on charges ranging from gun possession to car theft.

The goal is to discourage "off-duty criminals" like Jackson from committing more serious offenses than smoking pot, police said. Jackson, 22, was on parole for drug dealing and possession of a stolen vehicle. The 5-foot-tall man, known as "Shorty," admitted he was a Four Corner Hustlers gang member, police said.

The car Jackson was riding in has been impounded, and a judge has ordered him held on $40,000 bail. He was charged with a felony for the Ecstasy and a misdemeanor for the pot.

"We are looking at potential criminals who affect the quality of life," Camden said. "Sitting in a car smoking reefer sounds innocent enough, but you don't know what he plans to do from there."

Jackson's mother, Susie Jackson, said her son posted bail and is free pending his next court hearing on Sept. 3.

"He is nervous because he is on parole," she said. "He does not know what will happen when he goes back to court. This isn't fair. It's not like he was dealing drugs. I don't see how they could arrest him for just sitting there smoking weed. Most young people do that."

Jackson's mother has seen the cameras and does not like them. "To me, that is an invasion," she said.

Generally, though, the cameras don't violate the constitutional right to privacy if they're trained on public spaces, the American Civil Liberties Union says

[OXENinFLA]

1984 coming to a town near you.

[CollegeRepublican]

"What you are seeing is people are getting used to the cameras and going back to their old behavior," said Pat Camden, a Chicago police spokesman. "And we are there watching them."

What a scary quote. Forget 1984, it is here today in the good old USA. Big brother is watching us.

[Mr. Mojo]

How did the cops know it was pot he was smoking just from the view from the cameras? I know a few people who roll their own (tobacco) cigarettes, and if one is out of range of the scent, it looks a little like they're smoking pot.

1984, indeed.

[Mr. Mojo]

Yep, that's about the most frightening quote I've read in a while.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, he was an idiot for doing it in his car out in public...

[Pagey]

Jackson's mother Susie Jackson said
"...just sitting there smoking weed. Most young people do that..."
No Ms. Jackson, most young people don't do that and aren't on parole at age 22 either.I'll bet that he knows exactly what that judge is going to do when he finds he's on parole.So cameras have finally made their way to Arizona, huh?That's nothing compared to Los Angeles,where(unfortunately) the camera brings in much income for the authorities.

[AnnaZ]

"We are looking at potential criminals who affect the quality of life," Camden said. "Sitting in a car smoking reefer sounds innocent enough, but you don't know what he plans to do from there."

Get a snack?

[CollegeRepublican]

Well, he was an idiot for doing it in his car out in public...

No doubt that the guy getting arrested was an idiot, but the attitude of the police and their quotes are unbelievable.

[KEVLAR]

Oh, it gets worse, some years ago Illinois created a system that takes a digital "faceprint" when you have your drivers license photo taken. This is the same technology used at the superbowl. How long before mayor Daley links to this database, not of criminals, but of all Illinois residents?

[Chad Fairbanks]

No argument here...

[Feiny]

BWHAHAHHAA! gotta get me some munchies!

[Quick1]

Very scary quote.

Of course, if pot were legal, the cops wouldn't need to waste time looking for harmless smokers, and they could spend more time looking for the real criminals.

[weegee]

So smoking pot in a car is okay but drinking a beer in a car is bad?

I do think that there is a double standard with regards to who can have dark tinted windows.

I also don't believe in unmanned cameras, you have the right to face your accuser in court. An electronic system that mails you a ticket does not meet this standard.

[optimistically_conservative]

U.S. Develops Urban Surveillance System

[weegee]

While it is legal to have sex, having sex in public in your car will still get you arrested.

People need to look at what was happening here. Whether pot is legal or illegal, the man would have been breaking the law to be smoking pot behind the wheel.

Also if pot were legal, would esctasy? Cocaine? Heroin? LSD? STP? GHB? Hashish?

If pot is legalized, (and "taxed"), would the ATF replace the DEA for enforcement?

"Solving" one problem begets another. None of my discussion even addresses possible health effects, car accidents (DUI), or underage use. I don't even want to get into that (personal responsibility addresses some of that).

[Pro-Bush]

Great, what's next?

[joesnuffy]

I see a market for a special window tint

[LurkedLongEnough]

Defense attorney needs to bone up on the ability to discredit the camera-show type of "evidence".

[palmer]

Great, what's next?

Camera has software to recognize pot smoking and automatically sends you a ticket in the mail.

[TheBattman]

And of course, Jessie Jacka$$on will jump on this becuase the cameras are there to opress, degenerate, and descriminate against the downtrodden brothers in the hood.......

[Quick1]

I also don't believe in unmanned cameras, you have the right to face your accuser in court. An electronic system that mails you a ticket does not meet this standard.

I remember reading a story about someone who got a ticket from one of the electronic cameras. When he went into court, he wanted to face his accuser, so the police ripped the camera off the pole, and brought it into court.

Urban legend? Don't know, but it's a good story nonetheless.

[usadave]

What a scary quote. Forget 1984, it is here today in the good old USA. Big brother is watching us.

Big Brother can watch me not breaking the law all day long.

[kkindt]

BIG BROTHER was a cruel dictatorship using these cameras. Our police are using these cameras to arrest and convict criminals not spy on innocent people. WHat's the difference if they were sitting in a building with binoculars or sitting in front of a computer monitor?

I am so glad this is still legal for them to do. Beware of the eyes that are watching you one might be a police camera. We all need this kind of uneasiness in public about being caught doing something wrong. NO more speeding. No more running redlights. No more drunk driving. The cameras will get you!!! YES!! WOW!! This will mean anyone who drives drunk, runs red lights, speeds like an idiot will get caught a lot, lot more and be convicted a lot easier. Fewer drunk driving slaughters and fewer red light demons crashing and killing little children.

[bonfire]

Pot smokers keep the 7-11's in business.

[MrLeRoy]

"Sitting in a car smoking reefer sounds innocent enough, but you don't know what he plans to do from there."

Play wild jazz music and seduce white women, no doubt.

[Pest]

How did the cops know it was pot he was smoking just from the view from the cameras? I know a few people who roll their own (tobacco) cigarettes, and if one is out of range of the scent, it looks a little like they're smoking pot.

Maybe he was using a 3-foot water bong!

[68 grunt]

... and they could spend more time looking for the real criminals,

But wait, thats dangerous isn't it? Bullies don't like to get hurt.

[68 grunt]

Big Brother can watch me not breaking the law all day long./b>

Ja, ja, du are right. If dur paperz are in order, und du behafe zurself, Big Brother will take care of du. Und vorzhip da furher.

[68 grunt]

</b>

[Scenic Sounds]

Play wild jazz music and seduce white women, no doubt.

LOL. ;-)

[AnnaZ]

Play wild jazz music and seduce white women, no doubt.

And then... more snacks!!! (or even (((shudder!))) a tobacco cigarette!)

[IowaHawk]

Hooray! I'll certainly sleep better tonight knowing that the omnipresent Policebot surveilance camdroids are sweeping the streets of dangerous reefer junkies.

[AnnaZ]

Pot smokers keep the 7-11's in business.

POT... does a body, and economy, good! I can see the posters now.

[AnnaZ]

gotta get me some munchies!

I knew this no-carb thing was a mistake.

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[AAABEST]

So smoking pot in a car is okay but drinking a beer in a car is bad?

Actually in a strange way yes. Driving drunk can cause you to crash your car killing someone in the process. Driving stoned won't cause you to crash your car. You may get lost or something, but you probably won't crash.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"As Marcus D. Jackson smoked dope in a blue Chevy Caprice..."

Smoking pot in public and in cars is part of Hip Hop culture. It's not uncommon in some urban areas.

I wonder if defenders of the Hip Hop culture will defend this as a legitimate form of rebellion against the man.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

Most cop killers start off with marijuana...

[Mr. Mojo]

Yep, if anything, driving while stoned causes one to drive more slowly and carefully (although that could partly be attributed to super-awareness/paranoia about cops). And unlike alcohol, pot doesn't affect depth perception.

[dljordan]

"Potential criminals who affect the quality of life", that could characterize politicans, judges, some police, etc...

[weegee]

NORML's own position prohibits driving under the influence of marijuana:

Policy debates regarding marijuana-law reform invariably raise the issue of marijuana and driving. This is a valid concern. In fact, NORML's own "Principles of Responsible Cannabis Use" invoke a "no driving" clause, stating: "Although cannabis is said by most experts to be safer than alcohol and many prescription drugs with motorists, responsible cannabis consumers never operate motor vehicles in an impaired condition."

[AAABEST]

I'm certainly not advocating driving while stoned or even getting stoned period.

I'm only saying that it's much safer than alcohol.

[Ipse Dixit]

There are times when I seriously question just how many of the "1984" claqueurs about have actually even bothered read the friggin' book all the way through ... and this is one.

[FreeLibertarian]

Big Brother is watching!

[jmc813]

Smoking pot in public and in cars is part of Hip Hop culture.

Does it cause black men to have sex with white women too, Henry?

[CollegeRepublican]

It is called incrementalism,a policy or advocacy of a policy of political or social change by degrees. I pefer to fight ever little encroachment on my liberties and freedoms. Here in Maryland they have traffic cameras and the freedom loving safety concience State shortened the time that yellow lights were activated so that they could reap more profit from tickets. This actually causes more accidents and makes more people than necessary break the law and if you are on camera how can you deny that you broke the law? In the eyes of the state no one is innocent, everyone is a potential criminal.

Ask the boy in Anne Arundel county Maryland that was shot in the face by an FBI agent for following directions if all the police do is arrest and convict criminals. People make mistakes, police make mistakes, but I don't think that the police need cameras everywhere to arrest and convict criminals.

[MrLeRoy]

Most cop killers start off with marijuana...

Most cop killers start off with milk.

[weegee]

...shortened the time that yellow lights were activated so that they could reap more profit from tickets. This actually causes more accidents and makes more people than necessary break the law and if you are on camera how can you deny that you broke the law? In the eyes of the state no one is innocent, everyone is a potential criminal.

Fight the law with the law. Unmanned cameras don't hold up in court. Also challenge the length of the traffic light. Often when lights are very short, you will find that they are illegally calibrated to be short. You may not get anyone in the city fined but you will find that the light will be set to the minimum duration at least. Followup on it. See that they carry out the change. Go to a local news watchdog.

"Fighting" means actually fighting back, not just talking about it.

[Liberal Classic]