WV - HOUSE PASSES BILL TO REPLACE RADAR WITH LIDAR!!!!!!!!!!

[StlouisX50]

WEST VIRGINIA REPLACING RADAR WITH LIDAR

http://wvgazette.com/section/Today/2007011738?pt=10

[jerry540i]

I didn't see anything about radar/lidar, but I did like the part about the couch burning at WVU (Let's go Mountaineers!!)

[proudNMAmember]

I didn't see anything about radar/laser either. Huh?

[pgb2]

It's a two page article and the link takes you to the second page. Here's the text from page one:

By a 99-0 vote, the House of Delegates passed a bill (HB2051) ensuring laser technology can be used in place of radar to cite speeding drivers.

House Judiciary Chairwoman Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha, explained that Charleston police, State Police and some other entities have been using laser technology for the past six years. However, state law does not recognize it as a foolproof method.

Some speeders have appealed to circuit court, citing the lack of laser technology in state law. Judges have upheld its use, but only after officers spend a day on the witness stand explaining how it works.

Webster has said her brother, Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster, asked her to introduce the bill.

[KaPro]

I hope no other "commonwealths" decide to adopt similar measures.

[pgb2]

The way I read it, the WV legislature was only moving to establish judicial notice of LIDAR. It IS already used in WV but an officer must testify on the theory and operation in EACH case, thereby increasing the amount of time a hearing takes. Unlike what the thread title implies, this is NOT a move for WV LEOs to use LIDAR exclusively.

I hope no other "commonwealths" decide to adopt similar measures.

From a technical standpoint, provision for LIDAR use has already been made in PA. The state has documented the standards for testing and calibration of the units and distributed these to the companies who already work with PA's RADAR units. I think the only obstacle now is cost. Why spend $2000+ when PSP is writing plenty of citations with sub $1000 equipment? Remember, most of PSP's RADAR units are FAR from state-of-the-art. Only now are there a few Ka units being used near the major urban areas in the east and west.