Group plans Scottsdale protest against photo radar

Protestors plan to demonstrate against photo radar in Scottsdale this afternoon.

The group, camerafraud.com, asked members to gather at 5 p.m. at the corner of Scottsdale and Thomas Roads.

D.T. Arneson of camerafraud.com said the targets of the protest are two companies -- Redflex Group and American Traffic Solutions -- which supply photo radar equipment to the state and cities such as Scottsdale.

Arneson claims that Redflex conspired with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to use non-certified radar guns in two mobile van units. DPS later removed the vans from service, and Arneson said Redflex considered taking care of the tickets.

``It got to the point where Redflex offered to refund over 4,800 tickets, then later agreed with DPS that it wasn't necessary because it was an `honest mistake,'" Arneson said. ``I don't think a violation of due process is an `honest mistake.'"

Photo radar is not effective in catching law breakers, Arneson said.

``Cameras don't catch drunks, cameras don't find stolen cars. If someone ran a red light and they were drunk or high, and they went to the next light and slammed into your car, that ticket in the mail is not going to help you out very much."

The solution, Arneson said, is to get rid of the cameras and hire more police officers to patrol the streets.

Arneson said his group ``wants to know if these are no-bid contracts, we want to know what these companies' relationship is with the people who are enabling these cameras to go up, and future cameras -- 100 to 200 new cameras that are going to be going up."

Arneson said Redflex is an Australian firm and getting a traffic ticket because of their equipment is the same as being pulled over by an Australian police officer. He asked why an American company did not get the contract.