CA: Red-light cameras paying off for Gardena

The Daily Breeze ^ | 8/1/05 | Eddie North-Hager

[Walkingfeather]

it would be wrong to take a cotton ball with some vasaline on it and coat the lens of that camera. You can't do that to a cop now can you.

[BurbankKarl]

I dont know where you live, but cops are making over $100k a year with all their benefits here

[Osage Orange]

It'$ about the money.....

[Osage Orange]

I can see you have not had much experience with the lower parts of society. They lie just to lie.

Well that confirms it for me.....Congress IS low society!!

: )

[BurbankKarl]

Lets see, LAPD (with a BA) starts at 53k a year, a raise if you finish the academy

12 paid sick days per year, 5-22 vacation days a year (so, a paid more than a month off)

Health care is probably another 10K a year, since the City of LA has 0 deductible.....then retirement bennies...not including OT

[dalereed]

"This thing costs $6,000 a month? That's $72,000 a year, why not just hire more cops?"


the city banked about $450,000 in the first four months of operation. Over the next year, the tally should hit $800,000, according to the city's budget.

That should answer your question!

[Black Tooth]

And their hurting for recruits. No one wants to be a cop anymore. It was vogue in the late 80s and into the 90s. Now? Few want to deal with it.

Can't say I blame them. No way would I sign up to be a cop in todays world. I happen to know a few that are still working. They hate and regret it, and would never do it over again.

[ApplegateRanch]

Doesn't matter where I live, or what cops are paid here or there.

What does matter is cost per citation on the one hand; and whether you are only interested in single-violation enforcement at a single point on the other.

As I said, a cop can only cite one out of X violators, where the camera can cite X out of X in one location, so the cop is much less efficient and horridly cost-inefficient IF the only consideration is those cites in that location.

If overall law enforcement, and getting violators off the street is the higher priority, then the camera can't replace the cop.

I have no idea what the actual numbers are, but I seem to always be reading where the unlicnesed/suspended/revoked are being arrested after being stopped for minor infractions. So are drivers with outstanding warrents. The camera can't do that.

As a supplement to free up a cop for other duty; or for revenue enhancement, the cameras are great.

[chickenlips]

Before they do that they'll put a monitor on your car and when you violate the law in some way it will just print the ticket out on your dashboard. When you don't pay them promptly they'll send the robot.

[Osage Orange]

.....................while officials say money has nothing to do with the primary purpose of the system, the city banked about $450,000 in the first four months of operation. Over the next year, the tally should hit $800,000, according to the city's budget.

Okay....so it's the secondary purpose. LOL!!!

[Still Thinking]

I have long thought that insuring a vehicle is crap.

Also, what about rich guys that have five cars? Why should they have to pay five premiums to insure five cars when they can only drive one at a time?