Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Police chief seeks more photo radar on the streets
THE chief of police says he wants more photo radar used on the streets, not less, even after a recent court case that's jeopardized the practice of handing out tickets in dormant construction zones.
Winnipeg Police Service Chief Keith McCaskill said Monday photo radar improves public safety and discourages drivers from speeding.
McCaskill said he'd like to see use of the cameras expand.
The controversial cameras have been under renewed debate after a University of Manitoba law student got nine photo radar tickets nixed this January, arguing successfully the tickets were invalid.
However, McCaskill said the cameras can be a useful tool to save police time.
"If done right, it can benefit policing," the chief said, speaking to reporters after he presented the police service's 2009 budget to city council's protection and community services committee.
"We've got so many demands on the police service, so it's very difficult for us to take somebody off a criminal investigation, or even uniformed officers, and put them down there to do radar enforcement."
McCaskill said he wanted to see a "balanced" approach to use of the cameras.
"It wouldn't matter to me if we have to notify the public where they are; it's about getting people to slow down," he said.
McCaskill said there should be no photo radar at construction sites where no workers are present, unless there are restrictions to the roadway that would make it unsafe.
Those restrictions could include narrowed lanes or soft shoulders.
The issue will come before the province's Court of Appeal this April.
McCaskill's remarks emphasized promoting public safety, and not the revenue that the city collects on the tickets.
"I would be supportive if we could expand photo radar and even notify the public, 'Guess what? The photo radar van is right there.' I don't have a problem with that, because the whole idea is to stop people from speeding and that's what we should be focusing on," he said.
He later added: "We'll never be in a position to have police officers on every corner."
Nancy Thomas, part of the Road Safety Awareness Group, said the chief's remarks are frustrating.
Thomas has collected a petition with about 1,200 names opposing photo radar use.
"I would ask, based on the safety data, why would you be promoting this?" she said.
gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 10, 2009 B1
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