OFF THE WIRE
Recent photo radar camera protest in Paradise Valley Az
by Camera FRAUD.com
TheNewspaper.com
Paradise Valley Police
Arrest a Sombrero
Posted: 10 July 2010
Police in Paradise Valley, Arizona took a giant sombrero into custody last month because it had interfered with a roadside speed camera. Members of the group CameraFraud had gathered beside the device on June 11 to protest the use of automated ticketing machines while the Daily Show's Olivia Munn filmed the action.
About a dozen surrounded the sombrero-topped camera which carried a sign painted in the colors of the Mexican flag reading, "Deport Me" when Paradise Valley Police Officer Steven Chavira arrived on the scene, furious at what was going on.
"Turn off that camera," he yelled at the film crew while holding his hand over the camera lens.
Chavira ripped down the "Deport Me" sign, then jumped several times in vain attempts to reach the giant hat that rested on the camera head just beyond his reach. After using a stick, Chavira and a second officer were able to knock off the sombrero, which he stomped on several times, (perhaps doing a Mexican Hat Dance?)before taking it into custody in his patrol car (view image).
Munn's story on Arizona speed cameras aired Thursday on Cable TV's "The Daily Show", but did not include the protest footage. Her piece presented roadside photo enforcement as if the statistics generated by the public relations firm hired by Redflex Traffic Systems, the for-profit Australian photo ticketing firm, were actually accurate.
Representatives from CameraFraud declared that Paradise Valley will be the first to go down as the group refocuses its efforts on city-by-city ballot referendum's to outlaw photo enforcement in Arizona. Their recent statewide ballot initiative fell short by about 15% of the 155,000 plus signatures needed for the issue to be placed on this Novembers ballot.
Paradise Valley Arizona is the oldest continuously operating photo ticketing program in the United States, and, their former Police Chief, who convinced the PV City Council to install the camera's, now works for Redflex being paid to help them expand into other cities. Source
