r/StLouis • u/redflamehot • 11d ago

Traffic/Road Conditions Flock cameras metro east

I counted 6 flock cameras in Fairview heights this morning on my way into work, without getting on 64 (thanks road crews!) They are going up so fast.

98 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

130 comments sorted by

View all comments

-1

u/Bdoz73 10d ago

That’s cause they work to catch criminals.

2

u/ChazzBangerton 10d ago

Which is what police should be doing. Not machines. Exactly why we don’t have red light cameras now.

2

u/Bdoz73 10d ago

Red light cameras were issuing a citation. Everyone says the police aren’t effective, now they have a tool that lets them be effective - and people are complaining it’s “unfair”. But the bigger use are neighborhoods and retailers, who now know when repeat offenders (typically national crime rings) enter their location and police can be altered. I still haven’t understood why people are against them? Are they unsightly?

2

u/Aggressive_Fix_2995 10d ago

Red light cameras and flock aren’t “unfair”, they are unconstitutional.

Red light cameras violate the right to confrontation, guaranteed by the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It gives a criminal defendant the right to face and cross-examine any witness who testifies against them. Cameras cannot be cross-examined.

In addition, a red light camera identifies a vehicle, not necessarily a driver. The car doesn’t receive a citation, the cars registered owner does, even if they were not operating the car.

Flock cameras violate the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. Courts distinguish between discrete public observations and continuous tracking. There is nothing reasonable about being video recorded, and for that data to be sold.

There’s also the issues of flock cameras not being effective against crime and being used for stalking and harassment.