Arizona to Turn Speed Cameras into Spy Cameras

[StlouisX50]

Arizona to Turn Speed Cameras into Spy Cameras
Arizona state police plan to turn statewide speed camera program into a surveillance network.

Speed camerasThe Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) is planning to turn its statewide speed camera program into a spy camera network. According to a written request for proposals sent to various speed camera companies and obtained by the Associated Press, the state police are seeking to include automated number plate recognition (ANPR) technology in its new automated ticketing system. This would allow motorists accused of no wrong-doing to have their movements monitored and recorded for use by police agencies.

The for-profit company selected to operate the camera ticketing program must also "provide computer queries" for "any law enforcement purpose as requested by the DPS designee."

Almost one year ago, DPS expressed interest in installing standalone ANPR cameras to track and identify motorists on Arizona highways. The DPS now says that it is expanding the ticketing program's role to identify stolen vehicles and locate criminals. Oakland, California recently announced a similar plan to turn its red light cameras into spy cameras.

ANPR is in wide use throughout England with every local police force equipped with at least one police cruiser capable of scanning and tracking motorists on area roads. The devices have produced mixed results with thousands of motorists accused of crimes based on misreads by the device or incorrect information in the government database. The system has also criminalized millions of motorists over routine paperwork errors.

Source: Highway cameras could catch more than speeders (Associated Press, 8/18/2007)

[StlouisX50]

This is bad guys! We are being spied on more and more these days!

[JeepinJeff]

land of the free my ass.

[Maestro]

Did you notice the spin they put on this use of camera, "The motorist who was accused of no wrong-doing can have their movement monitored" meaning we can go back and look at the video and see if you was actually speeding all along the way.

It is like saying "Hey this is a good thing for you, since you can show the police you were not doing that they said you were doing." Yeah right.... if you believe that on I got prime swamp land for you.

If anyone has any doubts about this stuff, ask anyone who lives in the UK.

I saw an article where a group is going around and blowing up speed cameras.

You can not even layout naked in your own back yard without an image of it possible showing up on google earth.

[ELVATO]

Hmm, the article seemed to start off in favor of the cameras, then ended up kinnda against.

I seriously would not be surprised if they started timing plates between two points and getting speeds. Basically, automated VASCAR.

As people have said before, if the government scares people enough, they will let them do anything to "take care" of that evil. :roll: