Photo-Radar Van Driver Shot to Death-Rage against cameras taken to another

[RamboLiberal]

PHOENIX - A man operating a state police photo radar unit was shot to death while parked in his vehicle along a stretch of a north Phoenix freeway.

The shooting occurred just before 9 p.m. Sunday on the Loop 101 and 7th Avenue.

The victim, 51-year-old Doug Georgianni, had worked for three months for RedFlex Traffic Systems Inc. The company has a contract with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to operate photo enforcement vehicles on state highways.

Department of Public Safety's Lt. Jim Warriner says "It's unconscionable to think..that someone's that mad at a photo radar...to take shots - what's it going to solve?"

Police are looking for a suspect vehicle, which was captured by video equipment on the photo enforcement SUV, which is marked as a DPS vehicle. It is approximately a 1980s model two-tone, gray/white Chevrolet Suburban with a roof rack. The driver is described as a man who appears to be in his 60s, is white and has white hair and a white mustache.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/photo_radar_van_driver_shot_041909

I hate this photo radar crap for speeding tickets - but could someone be that pissed to shoot an operator. And note this was a civilian.

[MineralMan]

1. Yah, start checking the Teabagger videos from Phoenix.

I'm pretty sure I saw some white moustachioed angry old white guys in those.

[RamboLiberal]

2. Yep - I was going to say - wonder if it's a teabagger n/t

[MindPilot]

3. I hate to see it come to this, but yeah, people are that mad at photo radar.

RedFlex is the Blackwater of the highways and citizens are fighting back.

[babydollhead]

4. my friend completed census training

his job is to go around and point a radar computer at each address and send the information in. I told him to watch out for angry citizens who wouldn't know what he's doing.

[NightWatcher]

5. WTF?!? a radar computer???? what will it do and what are they looking for

warm bodies inside a dwelling?

Um, I hate to pull a 4th, and although it was ordered that a census be taken, I do have some kind of expectation of privacy.

[dysfunctional press]

8. the census lady was here 5 minutes ago...it's just a gps unit.

it's for verifying addresses- they go to the front door, and tap the gps unit to log in the exact location of the address.
you can loosen the tinfoil hat on this one.

[NightWatcher]

10. okie dokie, big freaking difference between a gps and radar computer pointed at a house

[Waiting For Everyman]

12. It's GPS.

I work for the census too - in the IT dept. that deals with the handheld computers.

(Sorry - didn't see the similar replies.) :)

[dysfunctional press]

9. it's not a 'radar computer'- it's a gps unit.

the census lady was here 5 minutes ago to do it at our house.

[Canuckistanian]

15. I've never heard of a "radar computer"

And I've worked for companies that design both computers and radar.

Pointing a radar at a house will do nothing - radar can't penetrate brick or steel with enough resolution to see ANYTHING.

[merh]

6. Believe it or not, the state of Mississippi outlawed traffic cams

just this past legislative session.

I've been hard pressed to agree with much that our legislators pass or consider worthy of discussion, this time they surprised me. I applaud this legislation.

[tuckessee]

7. Is there any evidence he was shot because of his radar work?

How do we know this wasn't an attempted robbery? Jealous lover? Random murder?

[MindPilot]

16. of course it is possible it was random

But there is a growing backlash against photo traffic enforcement. There have been other shootings of RLCs and photo-radar units, but this one was staffed.

We don't even know the shooter knew anyone was in the van.

[tuckessee]

17. That does make sense.

I assumed the guy was shot close-up. I hadn't thought of a random shot fired into the van by a passing vehicle.

[NightWatcher]

11. why are civilian contractors doing police work?

[Coventina]

14. THAT'S the issue that really irks me. Police work done for private profit.

The contract the state of AZ has with a private company. The private company owns and operates the system, and takes a cut of the money from the tickets.

It stinks to high heaven.

This was one issue that I really disagreed with Janet Napolitano on. She brought this deal in to try and balance the state's budget.

[MindPilot]

19. Yes and...

Where these units are deployed is usually in areas where they can maximize the ticket take. Have you EVER seen one in a school zone? Me neither. But find a nice flat stretch of six lane boulevard where the speed limit is unreasonably low and it's radar time!

Plus in many cases these tickets are "administrative" which means you can't adjudicate. Jut pay the fine or lose your license.

For-profit law enforcement -- sorry but that's something that needs to be stopped by whatever means necessary.

Yes, I just said that. I am no more sorry that a Redflex employee got shot than I would be if a Blackwater employee got shot. Same thing.

[depakid]

18. Because it's a huge profit generater

that does little to improve public safety or decrease the road toll.

[DS1]

13. DAMN YOU BRIMLEY!

[Coventina]

20. kick

:kick: