Sheriff Paul Babeu ends Pinal County's contract with Redflex
January 2, 2009
Phoenix New Times
There's a new sheriff in Pinal County, and he's ridin' Redflex out on a hot rail...
CameraFraud.com's reporting that Pinal County's newly elected
Sheriff Paul Babeu has ended Pinal's photo enforcement contract with Redflex, the
Australian firm responsible for so many of those mechanical Orwellian shutterbugs
plaguing motorists throughout the state.
Interview with Sheriff Paul Babeu
Keeping a campaign promise,
Babeu has ended photo radar in Pinal County
Speed cameras in Pinal County getting pulled - Fox 10 News
Before CameraFraud.com posted the YouTube video above, I called the Pinal County
Sheriff's Office to confirm the initial report and spoke to public information officer
Vanessa White. According to White, the Redflex contract with Pinal involved just
three vans, and no stationary cameras. The contract was set to expire December 31
at midnight. She said the decision not to renew the contract was the new sheriff's.
Shortly after being sworn in, Babeu told CameraFraud.com that he was against photo
enforcement because he was a "strict Constitutionalist," and that its purpose was
to "create money for the government." He expressed the opinion that, "It's corrupting
law enforcement for us to be partnered with a private entity that creates revenue."
Geez, keep talking like that Sheriff, and people'll want you to run for Governor!
Babeu did say he supported redlight cameras because there was a safety issue involved,
but on the issue of the speed cameras, he was unbending.
"I've never seen a photo radar camera arrest a drunk driver," Babeu said to CameraFraud.com.
"Or arrest a person with a warrant, see if someone has insurance, or to just simply
give directions to somebody.
"So I'm against it, we have ended photo radar for speeding. Photo radar's last days
are now behind us, because they ended on the 1st of January."
Babeu also expressed his hope that incoming Governor Jan Brewer would see the light
on photo enforcement, and he praised citizens groups such as CameraFraud.com for
pushing the issue.
Over at the Arizona Department of Public Safety, spokesman Lt. James Warriner said
the new sheriff's action changes nothing for AZ DPS, which also contracts with Redflex,
and that, "We will still be operating our cameras on state and federal highways
as mandated by the Governor and State Legislators." However, he conceded that DPS
has no stationary cameras in Pinal County, and that currently DPS only utilizes
mobile technology there.
Redflex flack Shoba Vaitheeswaran could not be reached for comment. I would have
loved hearing her spin on losing this contract, and what this might mean for her
employer, as more politicians realize how hated these camera are and begin to stand
up to the Redflex giant.
Kudos to Babeu for doing the right thing, and to CameraFraud.com for scoring this
news first. CameraFraud.com's motto is "the cameras are coming down." And at least
in Pinal County, they certainly are, thanks to a new sheriff in town.
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