Officials Deny Controversial Photo Radar System Is
Returning
After being grounded by lack of
funds in 1981, the Ontario, Canada, government is giving the
Ontario Provincial Police $2 million for a plane for an aerial
highway traffic patrol program.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty made the announcement of the
allocation Wednesday. The money is intended to purchase a plane
equipped with surveillance equipment and to hire 55 more patrol
officers all meant to crack down on speeding and curtail dangerous
driving, according to the Toronto Globe and Mail.
OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino has been requesting the aircraft
for quite some time and refutes critics' claims he is bringing back
the reviled photo radar system that was discontinued in 1995.
Former Toronto police chief and new Democratic member of the
legislature, Peter Kormos, believes McGuinty is caving to pressure
from Fantino. Kormos was unsuccessful in his attempts to bring back
the police air force during his days as chief.
"Fantino wanted a plane. Dalton McGuinty got him one," Mr.
Kormos said. "It's the eye in the sky. The plane is photo radar
with wings."
Kormos wonders how effective the program will be with a single
aircraft.
"One plane is going to be hard pressed to deal with thousands of
kilometers of heavily travelled highway, so let's not try to
pretend that this is any sort of panacea," he said.
McGuinty further announced a package of measures intended to
help fight speeding in the province, speculated to be in
preparation for the Oct. 10 provincial elections. "We can't afford
not to do it, given the extent of dangerous speeding on our roads,"
he said.
"Working with police over the last four years, we've made real
progress when it comes to curbing dangerous driving," said
McGuinty. "...[W]e're moving forward, together. And we're being
clear - if you're reckless on our roads, if you choose to break the
law, we consider you a threat to our public safety and you're going
to face stiff penalties."
Fantino said the aircraft will be used primarily in the area's
"hot spots."
"The addition of these new officers will help us make Ontario's
highways safer by enabling us to clear crash scenes more quickly
while safeguarding both officers and the public," said Fantino. "By
adding aerial traffic support we will be able to target aggressive
drivers and street racers."
Howard Hampton, the new Democrat Leader wants the controversial
photo radar reinstated. Former NDP premier Bob Rae launched the
system in 1994. A camera, activated by a speed gun, snapped a
picture of the speeding vehicle.
Even though more than 240,000 tickets were issued with fines
totalling more than $16-million, the program was stopped in 2005 by
the Progressive Conservatives saying it wasn't really effective
because drivers weren't stopped and tickets were issued to the
car's owner, not the driver. No demerit points were issued, either,
and a speeder's insurance rates weren't affected.
The McGuinty government refused to bring the program back in
2004.