I am told these systems cost 20k each & this one was purchased with Federal Stimulus money.
I believe that California has been trying this idea for some time. I don’t have a problem with it if it us used strictly to locate criminals. That being said, it could be used for other things also..........hopefully not.
“And actually solved a crime!”
Oh boy.. we’re in trouble.
I have no problem with this, until it’s abuse is evident. Because basically it just enhances the senses of the officer. It’s on a car, and not on a pole. It empowers LEO to do their jobs far better.
If it were just mounted on poles, then we have problems. Now at least they’ll stop pulling over my 1984 Brat for no other reason than “It looks suspicious”.
What kinda upsets me here is that CT required all motorists to turn in their old “White on Blue” plates in favor of the new pressings of the Light House plate. This plate is what enables all of these technologies to work. This is the same tech that city officers use to scan licence plates to see who has or hasn’t paid their taxes - then clamp cars appropriately.
Thank goodness they are able to crack down on unregistered cars driven by college kids waiting for a summer paycheck, or a parent who put it off for a few months to save up for a new baby crib.
It’s also good to know that there are no other crimes being committed in Connecticut that need law enforcement attention.
Proactive policing? No thanks.
We already have these things in NY and have for some time. I find it very intrusive. The good news is that they put out so much Ka radar that you can detect them like 5 blocks away with a decent radar detector.
It can be abused (such as by cruising parking lots only of businesses that don’t support the Sheriff’s reelection campaign, or neighborhoods where a particular disfavored demographic predominates).
The database of who went where, for later crime solving (keeping tabs on citizens’ movements) is improper. But I’m less concerned about marked patrol vehicles scanning plates, just like the cops scan for expired or missing registration stickers.
I do support measure to stop unregistered vehicles, and uninsured drivers. That would be especially helpful where illegal aliens predominate, but I’d support the efforts only if they actually used them for immigration enforcement when they found violations.
Guess I picked the wrong day to wash the car...;)
Of course this sounds OK on the surface with the “Hey, go ahead and search me-I have nothing to hide” Set....
Suspected shoplifter doesn't sound like the trial has completed to conviction yet. "solve a crime" is more than just getting it off the books. Ask those who were wrongly accused of being the Olympic Park Bomber and the Anthrax Letter mailer.
Just sounds like more of a money-making scheme to me. If they would stop using it for that and use it for actual crimes, like they said Amber Alerts, then I’d be all for it.
How long before someone tries to subpoena these databases for a civil trial like a divorce?
Ah, the good old days when I drove the rusty old Chevy pickup with no plates for months and was never pulled over.
It’s very double plus ungood.
Criminal activity like "deadbeat dads", the excuse they use to require my socialist security number when I apply to renew my driver's license even though I am unmarried with no kids.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9D9f_ySvkA
I think the dogs are on to something ....
They show a device like this being used on the show Parking Wars on A&E. The Detroit meter maids drive a van down the street, and a camera scans license plates for scofflaws who are supposed to get the boot. Eventually they’d catch up with them anyway, but the techology makes it a whole lot more efficient.
Do these only use CT DMV info, or other states also? Is there some nat’l db?
feels police statish to me.
Force the tax paying idiots to keep registering the same vehicle over and over and over and over and over....And hire hundreds of thousands of government employees, at tax payer expense, to process these registrations over and over and over and over....
My husband is a wonderful, but often forgetful man.
He let his car registration lapse - yes, he was wrong, but he wasn’t doing it intentionally, he’s just really bad at these things.
Branford cops got him on the way to work one snowy morning this winter when he was taking the less traveled back roads to work.
Anyway, the car got registered.