Captain Bill Henz decided that the award for "Officer of the Month" should go to an officer whose dedication to making sure that Marty's Scam-eras remain safe (and profitable), is unsurpassed. May's "Officer of the Month" following the directives from on high, cited 40 hardened driver's for... covering their behinds with the suddenly illegal license plate covers.
It wasn't rape, murder, or even armed robbery... covering license plates with covers that foil the red light Scam-eras and protect a drivers wallet. What's more, NO ONE seems to be able to point to a specific law ANYWHERE that makes these covers illegal. Yes... that includes the city's Code of Ordinances!
§ 8-6-4 LICENSE PLATES.Where in that language does the city ordinance 8-6-4 give authority to law enforcement to cite and/or confiscate offending plates? As long as your plate is "maintained free of dirt, emblems, trailer hitches, or any other obstruction so that the color, state of issuance, years and license number or letters thereon are clearly visible," you are not in violation of the city ordinance, period.
(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to park or to operate a motor vehicle on a roadway unless there is attached to the rear thereof, a license plate for the current license year, unless the state of issuance requires two license plates, in which case such plate shall be affixed to the vehicle as provided by law of the state of issuance; such license plate or plates to be maintained free of dirt, emblems, trailer hitches, or any other obstruction so that the color, state of issuance, years and license number or letters thereon are clearly visible.
(B) No person shall display upon a vehicle any registration evidence, registration plate, or permit not issued for such vehicle or not otherwise lawfully issued.
(C) No person shall display upon a vehicle a license plate altered from its original markings.
('74 Code, § 9-5-20.4) (Ord. 65-1974; Am. Ord. 7-2003)
Our Eyes tell us that city attorneys are furiously making deals with those dastardly drivers who have been cited for the afore mentioned infraction, in order to keep the citation from going to court. The Eyes have it that the city will drop the charges if the accused agrees to remove the plate cover from their vehicle. Looks to us like the city would rather not have an independent judge make a ruling regarding the legality of the "enforcement" action.
APD Public Information Officer has maintained that the Scam-eras can see through such plate covering devices. Mayor Marty has assured us that the Scam-eras are all about public safety. In light of the determined effort to punish dastardly drivers for covering their @%$, we don't see how either could be true.
More importantly, don't Captain Henz, Chief Schultz, and the Almighty Marty, have better things to do... more important criminals to capture? We'd argue that license plate covers rank up there with j-walking as far as law enforcement priorities are concerned. Perhaps Captain Henz should consider tasking his officers with more important duties, as opposed to protecting Marty's sacred cash cow.
15 comments:
Schultz was on the radio today. He said they are only cracking down on a type of license covers that prevent you from seeing it unless you are directly behind it (of course what else is he going to say). Assuming this is the case I am all for it, people need to be able to see the plates no matter what.
Hopefully we will see some of these get into the court room, I really want to know exactly what types they are citing. (i.e. I'd hate to get all p.o.ed if they are really only citing people for covers that truly obstruct).
I am guessing they are only going after the special plate covers that are designed to blur several of the numbers at angles from the sides or above. In the olden days of the single flash cameras, these would have been effective, along with the sprays they continue to sell now. However, now that they shoot a 10 second video of you as you are moving through different angles, at some point "they've got you!", so I doubt these covers would be effective now, unless they are only allowed to use the two single photographs for evidence, in which case the covers might be effective.
those who believe that they are entitled to obscure their license plates; and those who don't;
have a right to a seat at the table where decisions are made.
And I will be one of the ones taking that seat--no deals here!
the question is what are you willing to do so that everyone else gets a seat too?
Anonymous said...
...You idiots ...
I just thought that you would like to know that Ms. Amato stood up for your rights tonight, by objecting to the fact that the APS School Board has removed the public forum from the broadcast record of board meetings.
Her argument was not at all idiotic. It was actually right on.
After which she deviated slightly; but then that's just Geraldine.
I have heard her talk on a number of occasions. I have never heard her say anything that would even remotely justify her being deprived of her constitutional rights.
Or for that matter; to be called an idiot.
Great selection Capt. keep up the good work! Who knows how many burglaries or robberies you foiled by not allowing these criminals to roam our streets with their license plates covered.....Hell, I think you should give the selected cop a raise!
Were these people pulled over only because of their plate covers or was there some other more important reason??? Were these people cited for other reasons or only because they had license plate covers???
The little 'Gang banger' bastards that are roaming around our neighborhoods at night with their bulbs taken out of their license plate lamp, are the ones we need to be looking for. If they don't have them lit, I guarantee,the car will contain evidence of a recent burlary. Guarantee it 100%. So get those shaved head pricks out of the neighborhoods and into jail where they belong. Sterilize them while there, so they can't breed as well. Kind of like they do at the pound.
So is there a bounty now on plate covers? Must be. Friend of mine was pulled over, no citation, but plate covers were taken.
Maybe the city could offer vests that actually work as an incentive for those cops that bring in the most plate covers.
One of you city trolls can probably get a bonus outta that idea, huh?
Jenius.
"The little 'Gang banger' bastards that are roaming around our neighborhoods at night with their bulbs taken out of their license plate lamp, are the ones we need to be looking for. If they don't have them lit, I guarantee,the car will contain evidence of a recent burlary. Guarantee it 100%. So get those shaved head pricks out of the neighborhoods and into jail where they belong. Sterilize them while there, so they can't breed as well. Kind of like they do at the pound." - Now this is the guy we need for Mayor!! Got my vote!! :)
Instead of awarding crap that does not mean anything like the plate covers. Asst. Chief should try and do a better job for sticking up for his officers. Like when head chief got pulled over for DUI last Feb. the cop that made the stop was told to give up his cell phone to the. Chief called his asst. chief and the stop became a safe ride home. What about last Nov. when head chief was involved in a hit and run. After he fled the scene he went home and put his daughter behind the wheel to take the rap. No need for that when you have an asst. chief to sweep it all under the rug. What is it now two dui's and two hit and runs for the head chief now?
The asst. chief should worry more about backing his own officers.
I agree with removing the gang bangers from the streets, but just because a license plate lamp is burned out doesn't mean their a gang banger! Are you a cop or just pissed off all the time or both?
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