Mar 12, 2007 2:49 pm US/Central
Supreme Court Hears Arguments On PhotoCop
by Karla Hult
Minneapolis (WCCO) ―
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The Stop on Red program, also known as PhotoCop, started in July 2005, but was halted in March 2006 when Hennepin County Judge Mark Wernick declared it invalid. (File)
CBS
A court ruling put the brakes on the PhotoCops catching people running red lights in Minneapolis in March of last year, but the city is asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to step in to restart the program.
Attorneys for both proponents and detractors of the cameras argued their case to the court Monday morning.
The Stop on Red program, also known as PhotoCop, started in July 2005, but was halted in March 2006 when Hennepin County Judge Mark Wernick declared it invalid.
It was then ruled that the program presumed the owner of the photographed vehicle was driving.
Attorneys for the city of Minneapolis argued the cameras were responsible for reducing crashes at targeted intersections by 30 percent.
They also argued the Stop on Red program ordinance expanded on existing state law.
"It's our position that we have the authority," said Mary Ellen Heng, assistant Minneapolis city attorney. "When (car owners) lend their vehicle, they're already facing some risk of a traffic violation coming down."
As many as 160 other cities use red-light enforcement systems such as PhotoCop.
An attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union countered the program wrongly assumes the owner of cars captured running red lights are also the ones behind the wheel.
"Under state law, drivers are liable for running red lights," said Howard Bass, volunteer attorney for ACLU of Minnesota. "But under the ordinance, it's registered owners who are liable."
The Supreme Court is expected to release a decision sometime in the next few months. The decision could affect whether St. Paul chooses to launch a similar initiative.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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