From the desk of Robert Rappaport on Tuesday, April 21st 2009 at 6:44

MOBILE PHOTO RADAR GROUNDED

Tucson's photo-radar enforcement vans have been grounded indefinitely following the murder of one of the van's operators in Phoenix. Police say 51-year-old Doug Georgianni was shot to death Sunday while he was deployed in Phoenix. 68-year-old Thomas DeStories has been arrested in connection with the case.

In addition to Tucson's reaction to ground its vans, the Scottsdale Police Department and its contractor, American Traffic Solutions, also has suspended all mobile enforcement vehicles from service while the homicide investigation is underway. Mobile photo radar operations have also been suspended in Mesa, Phoenix and Avondale. Police say violence aimed at the controversial radar operations is becoming more common. Several motorists have been arrested for taking their anger out on the vans and their operators.

Robert John HEBERT @ Apr 21, 2009

The radar vans and fixed cameras were instigated to raise funds illegally in lieu of voter approved taxation, not to create any additional road safety. The system is being scrapped anyway, just not soon enough because Arizona doesn't want the cost of a lawsuit from the vendor. The whole situation is a negligent mess that was created by Arizona's elected and appointed officials. Those government officers are the criminally responsible parties that should be in jail along with the shooter, who, in one sense, has now become a victim of back-door politics and ignorant policies.

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