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Show o Photo rodor will depersonalize 0 local police image The decision by some communities to consider the use of Photocop, the photo radar that turns its lens on speeders, is questionable. Gov. Norm Bangerter has decided that the use of the controversial con-troversial ticketing tool should be decided by local governments, govern-ments, not the state. The question remains as to the effectiveness effec-tiveness of the device. Is Photocop the panacea some believe it to be, or is it just another way to fill the coffers of local police departments? Yes, it is important to stop speeders. Yes, it is important to protect the safety of pedestrians in school zones. There is no doubt that photo radar will lead to a number of tickets being issued that would not have been issued if officers were on the job. But, will it catch real criminals? Relying on a photograph to identify a speeder will most likely like-ly not result in the arrest of felons. Most felons do not drive licensed vehicles. Most do not have an address on file where the ticket may be sent. Most serious speeders would be driving so fast the photographed license plate number would be a blur. Photocop will not solve serious crime problems. It will generate ge-nerate more income, but not more criminals. Guilty until proven innocent seems to be the concept of Photocop. A driver who is ticketed has little recourse but to pay. There can be no argument about keeping up with the flow of traffic, etc. It's a no excuse device which does just the opposite op-posite of what experts say is necessary in police departments. It depersonalizes the police. In some cities in America, including Salt Lake, police departments are reintroducing the beat cop. Studies have shown that one Officer Krumpke on the street, someone the residents know and can trust, does more to halt and deter crime than a host of uniformed officers in patrol cars. The studies indicate in-dicate that a neighborhood will help an officer who is a respected member of the community do his job. They will watch out for him. They will take an active part in keeping the neighborhood free of crime. Is Photocop just one more step in the wrong direction? Some herald the invention of Photocop as a way to reduce the number of police officers necessary to do the job. How much of a police officer's time is spent writing speeding tickets? Is it progress to eliminate trained officers from the force? With the increase of crime in Davis County, it seems unconscionable to reduce the police force. There is a plethora of new crimes on the police blotters that could use serious investigation. Juvenile crime is on the increase. in-crease. Gang activity is on the increase. We do not need fewer officers to fight these increases. Photocop cannot solve these issues. It may be useful as a time-saving device. O Photocop may be valuable if the goal of its use is to free an officer to deal with serious criminal activities. If, in fact, speeders can be ticketed, and quotas met without an officer being be-ing involved, maybe it will be useful. But if an officer is going to have more time to spend in the doughnut shop, let's make it the doughnut shop he walks by on his beat. Officers need to become more well known, not less well known in the community. |