LOS ANGELES, June 8 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Police Commission voted Tuesday to remove traffic cameras aimed at catching drivers who run red lights.
Commissioners described the cameras as ineffective, because the courts do not enforce the tickets, and of dubious value, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The City Council can overrule the commission by removing its authority over the traffic cameras. If it does not act, police officials say the cameras will be removed in 10 days.
Police officials say the cameras have reduced the number of crashes and traffic deaths at intersections. But they have also become a magnet for public anger.
"It's something that angers the crap out of me every time I get in my car," said Christina Heller, a Hollywood resident who testified at the hearing. "These cameras remove our fundamental right in this country to confront our accuser. And they do not do anything to improve safety."
Tickets for those caught by the cameras are typically about $400. The Police Department uses collection agencies to go after drivers, but one commissioner called the system a "voluntary citation" program with few penalties for ignoring the tickets.
