Canton
Community Policing, would it benefit Canton Ohio?
I can’t be bothered to make some silly quip about residents working hand in hand with the Canton Police Department being the building blocks of making a better community or whatever.
I will say that cooperation is the only way to clean up the City. STEAL from other cities’ programs, but only their ideas, not the money.
Money, in fact, will soon be pouring into Canton as $21.5 millions in stimulus funds are on their way.
What better way to use these (after a job creation initiative) than to start a Community Involvement/Policing Program. More neighborhood watches, with citizen patrols. Neighbors looking out for one another. Annual block parties throughout the wards to encourage neighbors to get to know one another, and have the police officers attend these so that the people can get to know the fine men and women that have the dangerous job of protecting their lives and property.
I also had the idea of equipping responsible and concerned citizens, temporarily, with cheap, but decent quality video cameras, to provide evidence of crimes going on right outside their homes. From drug deals, to prostitution, you could publicize license plate numbers, and use the CONFIDENTIAL footage to help build cases against those breaking the law and actually crack down on crime in Canton.
Community support must be there for any of these type of programs to succeed. I would hope that Canton would hold informaional meetings in all the wards to have actual dialogue with the citizens. To target what each sector of the city needs to be a better and safer place to live. To sign up residents to help.
I also hope they would first have police explain the laws to them, over what is and isn’t legal in the Community Policing Initiative. Citizens’ Arrests (very rare, I believe) should not be encouraged, as it’s a good way to get hurt, or hurt someone and have them sue you.
The plain fact is that an armed and conscientious citizenry deters crime. I’ve done a lot of reading on a lot of subjects, and gun control is one of them. It doesn’t work. Criminals will always be able to procure a gun, and part of the reason we have such a low crime rate in this country is because of the gun that MIGHT be in the bedside table. If you look at Australia, which has been anti-gun for years (they even have fancy laws that say a gun and its ammunition must be XX feet away from each other and always stored under lock and key). They’ve also been destroying guns for years over there. So what happens? Young hooligans break into elderly folks’ homes because they are CERTAIN these people have no way to defend themselves. In the U.S. though, criminals usually don’t go breaking into occupied homes at night, for fear of the old ‘shotgun enema.’
Now, if you want to scream about children and how they will inevitably slaughter each other if they even see a gun in the home, I call horseshit. The NRA has a very effective “Eddie Eagle” or whatever it’s called program, that teaches kids the first thing you do if you find a gun is to go get a responsible adult. But kids without any safety training will usually play with it and point it at each other and pull the trigger.
The only reason the child death rate is so high (due to gun induced homicide) is that people with no common sense slant the facts and the studies to make it so. Did you know that children includes everyone up to the age of 19, and all drug violence as well. When you exclude these statistics, and put it down to accidental death by guns, SWIMMING and BICYCLING each kill more kids every year than “dangerous guns,” so where are the parents’ groups trying to outlaw those killer activities?
Coded trigger locks, when used properly, can prevent many of those very few accidental shootings in this country.
I forget which book I swiped these facts from, and they are facts. I would credit it if I knew. Anyway, police officers actually LOVE an armed and conscientious populace. The shooting rate for police is much higher than the shooting rate of private citizens with guns, because the police are always forced to act, whereas a citizen has a choice to get involved or not get involved in a situation.
The citizens of Canton, Ohio, do not all need to be packing heat to deter criminals, they just need to be encouraged to do so, and make sure it’s widely publicized. I’ve heard that some of the most polite people you’ll find reside in towns that are ‘open carry,’ and I don’t really suggest we take it that far, but it’s definitely a working deterrent in some areas.
Also, to those who would try to claim that ‘increased guns on the street lead to increased violence,’ I say: ‘only in certain cases.’ Increased guns in law-abiding citizens’ hands increase defense. Increased illegal guns all over the city increase the chances of gun violence.
I’d like to tell you a little story that was told to me once by a college professor, paraphrased of course.
“Back in the day, in the Middle East, there were a bunch of terrorists that wanted to kill a whole bunch of people (be they Jews, or another sect of religion or whatever). So they gave them guns and stories of martyrdom and sent them to the market square. The terrorist pulls out his gun and *pop*pop*pop*, shoots three people of the hated ethnicity/religion, and panic ensues. But by the time he goes to pull the trigger again, the local shopkeeper has emptied his skull with his personal weapon. See, that’s the reason they use RPGs and automobiles for shrapnel bombs, because their gun idea failed miserably at killing and maiming as many people as possible. Plus, with the ready availablity of weapons over there, many citizens are armed for personal defense.”
Anyway, I’ll debate anyone who wants to disagree with me on these points in the comments, as long as they are respectful, with cogent arguments, I’ll promise you the same in return. Granted, I’ve not provided a tonne of useful links in this post, but the proof is out there for anyone who cares to look with an open mind. Of course I don’t really expect any responses, seeing as how I’ve been neglecting this blog a bit, but hey, what can I say, life has been hectic. More posts that would benefit Canton, Ohio are coming soon.
Dirty, Dirty Redflex
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/photo-enforcement-executives-ignore-own-tickets/
Redflex Red Light and Speed Enforcement Cameras have supposedly NEVER caught their own executives speeding or running red lights.
Yet ACS equipment has fined Redflex Executives, and Redflex Equipment has fined ACS Executives.
I find it very curious that this is the case. Both companies are in the Red Light and Speed Enforcement Camera business, and business is BOOMING.
The executives cited in the above editorial avoided paying their tickets by ignoring legal summonses and refusing to pay them. Granted, in the one case, the violation occurred BEFORE the executive in question was employed by Redflex.
But on the Media side of things, I have to call foul. When you hire someone to preach to his buddies at a newspaper about the virtues of red light cameras, and that publication comes out in support of red light cameras, I find it difficult to believe that they should be allowed to run any story in their “newspaper” without a huge disclaimer detailing their exact relationships with the issues and stories in question.
This is a gigantic miscarriage of the public trust. It smacks of bribery and back-door collusion. No one, with ANY brain, approves of Red Light Camera and Speed Camera Enforcement; not when educated on the FACTS about the issues at hand. Personal privacy issues, illegal surveillance, bribery, perjury, falsification of documents, quotas, criminal FCC code violations, and lies, lies, and more lies.
Tainted study results, invalidated studies and conclusions, these are not charges to be bandied about lightly, and they are ALL TRUE! As Spider Jerusalem said: “Lies are news, and The Truth is obsolete!”
Next we have Redflex conveniently “forgetting” to file their contractually mandated equipment maintenance and calibration reports:
The City didn’t care, until they got embarrassed when The Rocky Mountain News requested those reports.
Redflex also falsifies certification documents for equipment located in Louisiana. Small problem, the notary was making up certification documents in Arizona at the time. Never touched or even viewed the equipment, let alone properly tested it:
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/24/2464.asp
I’m sorry, I should really just leave them alone. Redflex continuously and callously violates the law, creates hazardous situations, contributes to increased accident rates, falsifies documents and data, and manipulates studies so badly that they’re declared invalid in their entirety. I’d say this company is doing fine destroying itself without my help. But it’s taking hundreds of millions of dollars from innocent people each year, and that is despicable beyond words. They need to refund every ticket ever issued and fold the company, and work in public servitude for the rest of their unnatural lives for atonement of their sins.
Redflex Flashers Blinding Motorists (temporarily)
Redflex Red Light and Speed Cameras Strobe Lights are blinding drivers (temporarily, especially at night) and even potentially causing Veterans to have flashbacks (pardon the pun):
http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/redflex-ats-flashes-endanger-motorists/
Drivers coming the opposite direction as the “violators” have been blinded by the super-bright flash, and apparently the flashes can go off in quick succession, mimicking the muzzle-flash of weapons.
There are also a lot of problems with the positioning of these systems, as Redflex has been caught placing speed camera vans in dark areas such as underpasses, and many other horribly unsafe locations where they are very surprising and extremely dangerous to motorists.
http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/dpsredflex-no-regard-for-life/
They also tried to park and issue tickets on top of a concrete wall, just above the freeway! See:
http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/a-slippery-slope/
Redflex is constantly endangering the safety of motorists in our intersections, on our nation’s highways and byways, everywhere they are allowed to operate their poisonous to freedom and privacy, accident increasing systems. This must end before it begins in Canton, Ohio!
Anyway, I’m trying to push out as many of these blogs as possible before the March 9th vote on approving the civil violation code for the City of Canton.
Check out Steve’s coverage of the issue at the Official Canton Red Light Camera Blog.
(Redflex) Traffic Enforcement Cameras: Frequently Asked Questions Part 1: Who
That cover to the left is how this pamphlet of lies begins, and we’ll be dissecting it.
Now for the benefit of all drivers, Canton natives, taxpayers, and visitors, I will shed some light on the problems with these systems, point by point, as outlined in this pamphlet. With plenty of references to links of actual occurrences of these problems, lest you think I’m making it all up.
I had to rush to get these posts up, and some links and proof will have to be added at a later date, because I wanted to get this out there before the vote and before the hubbub died down, especially if the Red Light and Speeding Camera issue is reversed and defeated in the City of Canton, Ohio.
I was really spoiling for a fight. I stole the ballot initiative language from The Cincinnati Campaign (relax, I was gonna ask permission). I had already talked to the Stark County Board of Elections about petition signatures and how many would be needed (10% of voters that voted in the last gubernatorial election, which was 2006). I was almost set to ruin a vile and despicable company’s day by outlawing traffic enforcement in Canton, Ohio, then City Council had to go and research the issue (instead of blindly chugging the Redflex Kool-Aid), and found out what we’ve known all along.
Safety is the first casualty in the crosshairs of these camera systems. Next is your civil liberty, and finally, your hard earned money. But without further ado, let’s get THE TRUTH started…
Section 1: Who
I don’t believe these statistics. You have 16,000 accidents each year, working out to more than 40 accidents a day in the City of Canton. Pad those figures much? You know, all those accidents that are just fender benders, or are on private property and not public roads, are those numbers being involved?
Then out of that 16,000 you have less than 10% injury rate, and with ONLY 7 fatalities, a 0.0004375% fatality rate. That should make Canton one of the safest cities in the nation!
Plus, the way the figures are stated, apparently every single accident is attributed to running red lights and speeding in school zones.
I’d say that installing camera systems that cause increases in the number of accidents would divert police forces to deal with traffic accidents from other, more important duties such as arresting drug dealers and patrolling high crime areas, but that’s just me, I must be stupid to think that way.
Wow, so y’know, they cost a lot. But that’s okay, because we’ll make all the drivers we catch or wrongfully accuse pay big fines so that we can send half of your taxpayer money (since you got caught) that isn’t spent on taxes, that money now has to be spent on the violation you were issued. Yeah, it’s going out of state, and out of country, to Redflex. Did you know that many of the contracts have TICKET QUOTAS!!! The City pays a penalty for every month they don’t exceed “X” number of violations.
Sure, they will game the light timings and shorten them so that they catch as many “violations” as they can trick people into committing, and while plenty of “out-of-towners” will be getting tickets, so will MANY city residents.
And there you have it, the last sentence is the most telling. The money will be used to prop up city operations, will not be earmarked for ANY safety programs, or be funneled ENTIRELY to the police department (which could be arguably be justified for “safety”), but will shore up an increasingly shaky city budget. That is, until revenues decrease, then we’ll add more cameras! Or reduce yellow light timing even further to create more violations! This is the most damning evidence so far. These systems are completely about the money, nothing else.
(Oh, and I hope they won’t pull an “Ohio Lottery” and promise to give the city police all the funds from the red light cameras, but yank an equal amount of dollars away from them out of the police budget from the general fund)
We must keep on.
Y’know, the camera company doesn’t issue violations, except when they do. They have been caught a bunch of times Proof here.
Sometimes no one. Sure, we’ll claim that “police officers” will be reviewing the violations, and approving each ticket we (Redflex) sends out, but we’ve been caught issuing tickets with no review before (proven by court testimony and other evidence in Arizona, California, Ohio, and Canada), what makes you think we won’t get away with doing so here in Canton as well?
Rhetorical question.
Well, at times it won’t be the vehicle owner. It will be a completely different make, model, and year vehicle from the one you own. The license plates won’t even be a match yours, though they may be similar. There is next to no due diligence done on photos to make certain they have the proper license plate number and model of vehicle before the violations are sent out.
Also you should check out The Official Canton Red Light Camera and Speed Camera Blog
The writing is probably better, and he attacks the issue much more thoroughly and scientifically than I do.
on to part two
(Redflex) Canton Ohio Traffic Enforcement Cameras: Frequently Asked Questions Part 5: How
Sure, they claim the signs will be posted, but according to our friend Quarterwave in Chillicothe, “They also have refused to erect the proper signage.” Yeah, I think there should be a little bit of skepticism by now.
Here is a Haiku:
No signage present.
Redflex makes many more crash
People sad and hurt.
Anyone who wants to get out of a fine, legitimate violation or no, has two options.
Reassigning Violations to minor children with driver’s licenses, and telling them not to pay it, or just not paying anything to the company and City of Canton. They can’t DO anything to you except make one black mark on your credit report, or eventually try to come after you to garnish your wages.
Administrative Hearing in our Kangaroo Court. You can protest all you want, but you are guilty until proven innocent with these photos being supposed proof that you definitely were behind the wheel of your car. I’ve read (I’ll track down a link eventually) that a certain jurisdiction was allowed to tack on an extra $65-75 on top of the fine just for the hassle of actually having to try you in court! I think I read somewhere else (I’ll track it down if I’m able) that in one court, you had to PAY the violation BEFORE you were allowed to fight/contest it! Talk about a racket!!!
Anyway, when a petition is successful to get the issue on the ballot to kick the photo enforcement villains out of town, the people who refused to pay the civil fines generally are not responsible for them anymore, but the people who knuckled under to these thugs don’t get their moneys back. How fair is that?
Actually, all they have on their website is the same information in this pamphlet and the same questions. The most telling part of this is the legalese at the bottom. But if it were honest it should read “This brochure was created FOR the City of Canton with lies and manipulated statistics from Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc.
And I think that a public brochure can be reproduced for informative purposes. They were handing these out free at the meetings, so hopefully there should be no issue with my reposting the content here. Proper attribution was given, and really, I could claim that I’ve used the content for parody purposes, so the copyright can’t really be enforced against me.
Now don’t you feel safer already?
Redflex Perjury and 24/7 Monitoring
http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/taxes-lies-and-videotape/
Rosenberg FALSELY claimed that Redflex’s camera systems DO NOT record 24/7, when explaining their system to residents of Canton, OH.
Redflex was apparently answering questions from the Arizona state legislature over the matter of HB 2106 , and Redflex committed perjury. Any lying or falsification in court constitutes perjury, but where you or I would be fined or thrown into prison for perjuring ourselves in a court of law, Redflex gets a free pass. The DPS (department of public safety) contradicted Redflex’s testimony that “the cameras do not record information 24/7.” This is domestic spying, plain and simple. I don’t care if the footage is never accessed, it IS sent back to Redflex, and kept for “an indeterminate amount of time.” Such abuse of the public trust cannot be allowed to stand. These private contractors and public officials are enriching themselves off of the backs of the citizens who have told them, time and time again, that we do not want these systems on our roadways.
Aaron Rosenberg also cited the completely debunked study from Oxnard, CA in his final presentation, stating that fully 85% of the residents supported the red-light ticketing schemes, and were happy with their implementation. I resisted correcting him loudly, but just barely.
Redflex spokesman Aaron Rosenberg stated at the last informational meeting in Canton, OH, that “You have no right to privacy in your car on public roads.”
Apparently the Constitution means nothing to these lying fraudsters.
There’s a bit in that Constitution that American citizens should be “secure in their persons and property.” Now one might argue that the intent of that law is to keep the government from stealing your freedom and possessions from you. But I think Castle doctrine could be stretched to include your automobile. If a man’s house is his castle, then his car is his carriage, and the wanton spying on and shaking down of motor vehicle OWNERS constitutes nothing but THEFT, just like roving gangs of bandits (in the medieval ages. Unlike the fictional Robin Hood, these fixed and roving thieves are robbing from the poor and destitute motorists to enrich their multinational holding company, as well as the greedy, rapacious, revenue-hungry state and local governments.
http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/were-taping-you-247/
There you go, concrete proof that these villains are streaming video around the clock. Recording innocent citizens, not just capturing still images of violators as they claim.
Then, they go as far as adding cameras to TAPE THEIR OWN CAMERAS!
http://camerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/redflex-cameras-to-watch-cameras/
Nevermind that these cameras can be disabled in the same way the speed and red light cameras are (with yellow sticky notes), this is nothing but spying, spying, spying! Your freedoms and rights are being stolen away from you in the name of greed veiled by the dubious assertion of “safety!”
From my favorite comic book, Transmetropolitan, “Go listen to his address. Note down his lies. There will be many, so clear some memory on that hand-held of yours. Then go home and write an article that’ll make his eyes bleed and his sphincter collapse.”
With this in mind, I will be dissecting the informational pamphlet that was distributed at these informational meetings in my next posts. You know, the one that was riddled with inaccurate assumptions and outright lies about Canton’s need for the “safety” of these red light camera systems.
Stay tuned, both of you, my cherished, loyal readers.
Redflex, Canton Ohio, and Red Light Camera Studies
Red light camera studies abound. In the final informational meeting for Canton Ohio’s proposed red light and speed camera ticketing system, Aaron Rosenberg, the Redflex Executive Vice President brought his “A” game. This presentation was much more involved, cited more statistics and studies, and was thoroughly debunkable.
In starting the meeting, he gave a backhanded compliment to me. He gestured towards me mentioning that “I have my figures and this gentleman has his…” in regards to whether or not accidents are reduced at intersections with ticketing cameras.
But what is the truth? The Truth About Cars has a nice article about how gaping chasms of lies, half-truths, and skewed results seem to be in every study commissioned by those with a financial stake in these cameras. The Newspaper, whose excellent English coverage of all things traffic camera related is a godsend, has a handy roundup . Plenty of quotable quotes in there, including a couple of studies from researchers in Australia its self, where Redflex is based.
During the last meeting Rosenberg quoted a North Carolina study, attributing it to “a college” and he continued that “you know they are impartial because they have no financial stake in the red light cameras.” This study may or may not be it.
He also referenced the Oxnard, CA study saying that “Fully 80% of residents were pleased with the Red Light Camera Systems and their performance. They called and interviewed 1006 people. I don’t know the population of Oxnard, CA, but I do know that this study has been used for years to sell cities on installing Redflex’s systems. One fairly glaring problem: The study is complete hogwash. Actual independent analysis concluded that: “The Oxnard red light camera study violates many basic principles of sound statistical public health research and lacks internal and external validity,” Florida researchers concluded. “All red light camera investigations should be scrutinized for adherence to applied research methods since studies with greater adherence to quasi-experimental research designs have concluded red light cameras are associated with large increases in crashes and since special interest groups with a financial stake in red light camera use are actively working to influence public opinion and policy.” (quoted from The Newspaper article linked from “Oxnard, CA” above). Which means they paid for the studies, and got the results they were asking for.
Anyway, also read this admonishion from Topix user quarterwave details the plethora of problems that Chillicothe is having with Redflex and their crooked cameras.
Quite damning, isn’t it?
An increase in crashes means an increase in injuries, something that Redflex and the cities partnered with them want you to ignore. This blatant disregard for citizens’ and visiting motorists’ safety is disgusting. All the cities with these crash inducing systems are exposing themselves to ENORMOUS liability. There will be lawsuits when people get spinal or whiplash injuries, especially those that can barely be treated, or leave them paralyzed for life.
Well, we’ve only started our journey into the dark and devious world where Redflex stalks every driver, tickets many of them maliciously and erroneously, and steals as much as it can grab. Follow me down the rabbit hole, and let’s expose these villains for what they are. See you next crime.
-Nicholas Cincinat
Cold and fuming, Navarre – Feb 11th, 2009
Redflex, Canton Ohio, and red light cameras uncensored
Warning! Graphic accident footage. Not for the squeamish, may be NSFW!
The above video was taken at the last informational meeting for the city of Canton, OH’s proposed Redflex Camera Initiative. The pedestrian, which was crossing on a don’t walk signal, was pronounced dead at the scene, but was later revived, so there were no fatalities in this accident.
I attended the first meeting of the four they held in Canton, as well as the last, where I filmed that clip. I had called ahead to make sure I would be allowed to attend the first meeting, especially as I am not a city resident. They are probably regretting allowing me to attend and ask questions by now.
A few things I want to make clear. I acted, probably more than a bit, like an ass at that first meeting. I’d like to sincerely apologize here, and I had already half-apologized to Mayor Healy, and Mr. Rosenberg, the Redflex salesman in the comments from the newspaper article I was quoted in.
Secondly, I do not have any children of my own, the ones I was quoted as being worried about were my brother’s three beautiful kids, that love to hang out with their “Uncle Nick,” and also enjoy riding in the ‘way-back’ jumper seats in my station wagon(s). I will admit that I became more than a little emotional, and I increased my volume to try not to let my voice crack when I yelled that ‘any increased accidents and injuries would be their fault.’
Thirdly, I was utterly negligent in accusing the Redflex representative of his company and employees committing various crimes such as deleting ticket violations for the CEO or other executives. Never happened. The article I read basically stated that ‘Redflex and ACS ticketing systems have the ability to make sure their employees are not issued violations.’ I will be linking these, and many more articles in this blog soon.
I would like to point out that I did attend the final informational meeting at the North Branch of the Stark County Library. At no point did I interrupt the meeting. I didn’t make any speeches, or try to get myself on WEWS Channel 5 News, which was there covering the meeting. I was not permitted to speak, as there were plenty of extremely concerned residents attending, and I fully understand their reluctance to let me do any more damage to their cause, ESPECIALLY since I had thrown around such unfounded allegations before. I may have made some snide comments directed towards the ears of the persons seated around me, but I’m sorry, it’s hard for me to hold my tongue in the face of outright deception.
Well, since then, I’ve done the research I should have completed before the meetings on these systems, and I have no excuses to offer other than laziness, and procrastination, for my previous mistaken allegations. I have found concrete, verifiable problems though, and proof that Redflex blatantly violated State and Federal laws. As any company would be severely remiss not to send Cease & Desist letters to any website or newspaper that reported anything untrue about them, lest their image be irreversibly tarnished, I believe the sources I’ll be using are completely trustworthy, and reporting the full truth of the matters of Red Light Camera Systems.
Now, at the conclusion of this editorial I wrote for TTAC, I stated that I’m starting a petition to put the red light camera issue before the voters. It is due by August 20th of this year (2009), but I hope to file the signatures much earlier than that.
I will be dissecting the arguments made by Canton, and Redflex in this, my personal blog, as well as updating the status on the efforts to get a petition filed so that the voters can decide whether or not they need these types of systems in Canton, OH.
There is also another Canton Red Light Camera Blog. I do not know the gentleman who is currently running that website, but I am glad that others are now giving the issues some of the attentions they deserve.
In the interests of full disclosure, I am going to confess that I, Nicholas Cincinat, have had red light and stop sign “violations” in the past. Each and every one of these was paid for, by me, and while I may have groused about them a little at the time, I admitted my mistakes, and owned up to them. A couple of the violations I have perfectly reasonable excuses for why I absolutely HAD to ‘run the red light,’ and for the rest, I have nothing but explanations. The city of Canton, OH, Redflex, or some pro-camera citizens group may try to use these against me in a smear campaign to try to paint me as a “dangerous driver” or “scofflaw,” so I wanted to get this out there now, for everyone to see that I have nothing to hide. I have only ever been in one accident in the past, which I was not at fault for. Also, even Mr. Rosenberg admitted to having red light or speeding violations in the past so let’s keep things on the real issues which are the Company and the Cameras.
Anyway, I hope that the citizens of Canton Ohio will be permitted to decide this issue, based on the facts, for themselves. Thanks to both of the people who got lost and ended up here for reading this.