Police chief denounces 'cowardly' iPhone users monitoring speed traps

[Chris_]

Police chief denounces 'cowardly' iPhone users monitoring speed traps

Area drivers looking to outwit police speed traps and traffic cameras are using an iPhone application and other global positioning system devices that pinpoint the location of the cameras.

That has irked D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier, who promised her officers would pick up their game to   counteract the devices, which can also help drivers dodge sobriety checkpoints.

"I think that's the whole point of this program," she told The Examiner. "It's designed to circumvent law enforcement -- law enforcement that is designed specifically to save lives."

The new technology streams to iPhones and global positioning system devices, sounding off an alarm as drivers approach speed or red-light cameras.

Lanier said the technology is a "cowardly tactic" and "people who overly rely on those and break the law anyway are going to get caught" in one way or another.

The greater D.C. area has 290 red-light and speed cameras -- comprising nearly 10 percent of all traffic cameras in the U.S., according to estimates by a camera-tracking database called the POI Factory.

MORE

The POI Factory is a great site.  I use their databases in my GPS.  You have to pay a small fee for access to the red light/speed camera database, but the rest is free.

DC cops can pound sand.  This information does not let anyone run a red light or slip through a speed trap.  It just tells us where they are.

[Texacon]

MORE

The POI Factory is a great site.  I use their databases in my GPS.  You have to pay a small fee for access to the red light/speed camera database, but the rest is free.

DC cops can pound sand.  This information does not let anyone run a red light or slip through a speed trap.  It just tells us where they are.

I saw this this morning and thought it was a great idea.  It has always amazed me how cops are supposed to deter or prevent crime but when it comes to speeding .... they hide in the bushes waiting for the crime to take place.

No disrespect to cops but no one has ever been able to answer WHY they hide instead of being visible to prevent the crime from happening in the first place.

KC

[thundley4]

I saw this this morning and thought it was a great idea.  It has always amazed me how cops are supposed to deter or prevent crime but when it comes to speeding .... they hide in the bushes waiting for the crime to take place.

No disrespect to cops but no one has ever been able to answer WHY they hide instead of being visible to prevent the crime from happening in the first place.

KC

It is not their duty to prevent crime, nor  to protect the citizenry.  They only try to catch the law breakers after the fact.

[Chris_]

I saw this this morning and thought it was a great idea.  It has always amazed me how cops are supposed to deter or prevent crime but when it comes to speeding .... they hide in the bushes waiting for the crime to take place.

No disrespect to cops but no one has ever been able to answer WHY they hide instead of being visible to prevent the crime from happening in the first place.

KC

It's no fun for them if you don't have to pay.

The DOT here sometimes places dummy radar emitters on their "construction ahead" signs.  Anyone with a radar detector slows down...which is the whole point.

[Chris_]

It is not their duty to prevent crime, nor  to protect the citizenry.  They only try to catch the law breakers after the fact.

Had a case in court here a few years ago where a man was cited for flashing his headlights after passing a speed trap.  He was charged with interferring with the duty of a police officer.  The judge thew out the case and fine and reprimaded the police by telling them that the "alledged perp" was helping them by slowing down speeders.

[NHSparky]

I like and respect police, but too often they're not law enforcement officers, they're revenue streams for their jurisdictions.

[SilverOrchid]

People been driving like jackasses in DC before iPhones. Nothing will change really. Crosswalks is merely suggestive and really you should run like hell to get to the other side of the street. Don't even get me started on the Metro bus drivers. 

[Texacon]

It is not their duty to prevent crime, nor  to protect the citizenry.  They only try to catch the law breakers after the fact.

I realize we have nothing requiring the police to 'serve and protect' but if they see a crime about to happen the supposition will be they will do what they can to prevent it. 

If a cop sees someone about to rape a woman .... are they going to hide and let it happen or will they try to prevent it?  Knowing they aren't legally duty bound I still think they would work to prevent it.

If a cop wants to prevent speeding, in most cases simply being visible does the trick.  Hell, I have travelled through many states where funding was down and they simply parked empty cruisers in the median to slow traffic.  But in most cases the cops will find a nice little hidey hole to wait for the evil time savers known as speeders.

I admit, I speed regularly.  I'm a safe driver but if I'm caught I pay my fine and go on my way.  I know I'm breaking the law but for me it is civil disobedience.  I don't agree with the speed laws.  I will tell you I definitely slow down when I see cops around so it still begs the question;  Why not prevent the crime (because they all say it is a killer) rather than write the ticket?  If the answer is anything but revenue I'll be shocked.

KC

[Chris_]

We are talking about cameras here....right?  This device in this application is questionable at best in its constitutionality.........just exactly where is my right to actually confront my accuser?

Designed to generate revenue only.......anyone that figures out a way to eliminate the threat is OK with me......

doc

[Texacon]

People been driving like jackasses in DC before iPhones. Nothing will change really. Crosswalks is merely suggestive and really you should run like hell to get to the other side of the street. Don't even get me started on the Metro bus drivers. 

Back when I was an iron worker building/repairing water towers/tanks we did a job in Marlboro, MD and would often run into DC to drink and carouse in the evenings.  The BIGGEST problem we ran into driving around downtown at night were the prostitutes.  One of them actually opened up the passenger door in the truck I was riding in and pushed me across the seat trying to get in!

She didn't make it into the cab but it was a fight to keep her out.  That blew me away. 

KC

[megimoo]

I saw this this morning and thought it was a great idea.  It has always amazed me how cops are supposed to deter or prevent crime but when it comes to speeding .... they hide in the bushes waiting for the crime to take place.

No disrespect to cops but no one has ever been able to answer WHY they hide instead of being visible to prevent the crime from happening in the first place.

KC

Money........................