ACLU Opposes Red-Light Cams
KCCI 8 News ^ | June 15, 2006
DES MOINES, Iowa -- New traffic-light cameras have not even been plugged in yet in Clive and they are already getting opposition.
In about two weeks, Clive will hook up a six cameras in hopes of catching red-light runners.
The American Civil Liberties Union spoke out Wednesday, saying the government is getting too nosy.
"They can only be in so many places at one time, obviously," said Clive's City Manager Dennis Henderson.
The cameras will capture images of red-light violators and their license plates. The vehicle owners will then find a $75 ticket in their mailbox.
City leaders said the cameras will save lives.
"You may have the accidents, but hopefully they'd be much more minor," Henderson said. Others are concerned.
"If you want the government to control you, jump on board. These are great for controlling people. But if you like to have autonomy as an individual in society -- then you want to be suspicious of this," said Ben Stone of the Iowa ACLU.
The ACLU is fighting the city of Davenport about cameras. The cams raised $200,000 in just five months.
"They're very attractive to local government officials because it's a way to suck a lot of money out of the citizenry," Stone said. City leaders said that money does not drive the decision to install the cameras.
"Revenue generated from this program is going to go right back into public safety, whether it's to hire additional police officers or firefighters, or equipment for them," Henderson said.
Henderson said he hopes the cameras encourage drivers to observe the traffic signals, change their behavior, become safer operators of the vehicles and increase public safety.
The ACLU disagreed, saying that city government should not have this much power. |
