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Dear Editor:
I know there are bigger fish to fry than the traffic camera situation, but this one has gotten under my skin.
I was always under the impression that local police existed to protect and serve. Well, I'm having a hard time reconciling our city's new traffic cameras with this philosophy. In fact, they seem to be a contradiction.
I'm curious how many East Liverpool residents have legitimately felt threatened by people driving our streets? It just "feels" like another instance where good residents of East Liverpool are being punished.
Some might say, don't speed and it won't be a problem. What if there's an emergency? What if there's a technical error? What if an officer is sitting at a location -- presumably to protect and serve -- where the speed limit changes suddenly and the driver is too slow in reducing speed? Protect and serve …
I recognize the city is in a dire fiscal situation, but ploys like these only serve to further frustrate and alienate its citizenry; a citizenry that has lost faith in its leaders and institutions over the past decades. This is proven with each failed levy.
In 2015, East Liverpool residents voted down a 4 mil levy for our local police. I'm not arguing the merits of that vote, simply noting the will of the people. Well, it appears the city is going to get that money one way or another, arguably in spite of the democratic process.
I appreciate the police officers we have who do their job with excellence and sacrifice. I certainly don't envy their difficult task! But these cameras are not good for our city. Not only for the reasons listed above, but also for more fundamental reasons as well.
The cameras fail to provide evidence of a driver and thereby an individual's involvement in the "crime." The process also demands citizens implicate someone else despite the fact that it's the governments duty to prove guilt beyond any reasonable doubt. This is not the citizen's responsibility.
I've been supportive of Mayor Stovall's administration to this point, but won't be supporting him moving forward unless this changes.
Donald Bean
East Liverpool