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BY SUSAN BROWN
sbrown@nwitimes.com
219.836.3780 | Thursday, June 12, 2008 | (64 comment(s))
HAMMOND | Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. on Tuesday signed off on the controversial red light camera system, making the city the first community in the state to put the program on its books.
Neither McDermott nor Hammond police Lt. Pat Vicari could be reached Wednesday to learn how soon the city plans to implement the system, where cameras take digital photos of vehicles running red lights and their license plate numbers.
Tickets are issued through the mail by the private company operating the system after a review by police. By ordinance, fines of $100 will be assessed and initially treated like parking tickets unless contested, when they become moving violations.
The plan currently calls for the system to be installed at six city intersections, three located in the Hessville area.
Police Lt. Richard Hoyda said Wednesday the targeted intersections were selected through a state-run database available to police.
"The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute has encouraged police jurisdictions to send in crash data as soon as possible," Hoyda said. "Up to 80 percent of (police departments) are reporting."
Hoyda said Vicari searched for the intersections showing the highest number of accidents, which Hoyda said indicate the places at most risk for injury.
"Red light running" legislation has failed to become law in the state of Indiana despite numerous attempts by supporters, particularly in the state Senate.
Within the last 30 days, the city of Gary has requested state Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, to ask the office of Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter for an opinion on the program's legality before the city attempts to create a local ordinance as has Hammond.
On Wednesday, Councilman at large Robert Markovich said he will ask lawmakers representing Hammond to initiate a similar request.
"If we need something like that to make it legal, we need to get them moving," said Markovich, who overall supports the measure though he voted against approving the ordinance.
Markovich's objections to the ordinance had focused on the cost of running into legal hurdles.
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Hello wrote on Jun 19, 2008 2:39 PM:
speechless wrote on Jun 18, 2008 2:28 PM:
Hoosier Transplant wrote on Jun 17, 2008 11:27 PM:
ONCE AND FOR ALL wrote on Jun 17, 2008 9:42 AM:
ya ok wrote on Jun 17, 2008 9:31 AM:
Woodmar Mall and Wonder Bread wrote on Jun 17, 2008 8:48 AM:
no secret wrote on Jun 16, 2008 12:17 PM:
McFan wrote on Jun 16, 2008 11:24 AM:
Something is not right. The mayor initially said his father was not making a dime relative to the Cabelas deal. Then is surfaced later that he in fact made well over $900,000. Cabelas used only part of the country club land but a tax abatement was granted for the entire property. A corporation was formed, Indy Development LLC by the mayor's family and friends. They are developing the remainder of the land and get the benefit of the same tax abatement (for 30 years). Must be nice to have a son that can pressure the sale of land so that his family/friends can get rich while Hammond citizens foot the bill. Ya see boys and girls, thats what is known as profiteering under Indiana statute and it is illegal. " "
Carsons cantrell and conspiracies wrote on Jun 16, 2008 11:16 AM:
Conspiracy YES wrote on Jun 16, 2008 9:03 AM:
Linda wrote on Jun 16, 2008 8:42 AM:
Time Will Tell wrote on Jun 16, 2008 8:19 AM:
Carson's looks nice IN SCHERERVILLE! Maybe McDaddy can "consult" with them for half a mill. Bwaa, ha, ha ha ! "
He is alright with me wrote on Jun 15, 2008 10:21 PM:
fire fighter scott rokas wrote on Jun 14, 2008 11:41 PM:
Jefferson wrote on Jun 14, 2008 9:28 PM:
Carsons cantrell and conspiracies wrote on Jun 13, 2008 4:33 PM:
Your theories about McD corruption are unfounded. Just like your constant rants of six figure pay offs to McD in the Cabelas deal, you are going on and on and on about how Cantrell will expose McD. You are a wishful thinker. You have no facts to back your arguments only conspiracies and accusations. You are placing McD much closer to Cantrell Sr than is actually true. You can tell me all the familial relationships in the world between canrell and McD, Doesn't mean McD is corrupt. Lots of politicals know cantrell, are all of them corrupt? You need to spend your retirement more productively. YourBeing Narcasistic! "
From a rd generation Hammond Resident wrote on Jun 13, 2008 4:21 PM:
and another thing.... wrote on Jun 13, 2008 4:14 PM:
nothing huh wrote on Jun 13, 2008 4:07 PM:
Whoo hes clever wrote on Jun 13, 2008 3:40 PM:
"If you people put 1/4 of the effort that you do whining & complaining about McDermott into doing something constructive Hammond just might be a place worth living."
Not suggest that Hammond is now not a place worth living?
Sir.. none less than Thomas Jefferson called upon the populace to point out the folly of their government. So a greater mind than you or I considered it not whining but in fact great patriotism to protest
So TJ was a caveman I suppose "
kaye wrote on Jun 13, 2008 2:06 PM:
Longer than years wrote on Jun 13, 2008 1:09 PM:
Woodmar, or what was once woodmar mall has sat in the same condition for closer to 3 years. i love how the mayor or one of his family or cronies tries to pretend they are a hammond tax payer, giving him praise like those of us that really do live here see nothing going on all over town, what a joke our mayor the clown really is. "
Question for McMayor wrote on Jun 13, 2008 12:18 PM:
Oh, and along those lines, whats going on with Woodmar Mall? Nothing has happened on the project for well over 2 years. I'll go out on a limb and say Carsons will leave and the mall site will be another vacant lot within the next 3 years. "
I Love McD wrote on Jun 13, 2008 11:55 AM:
THIS COMMENT IS VERY SARCASTIC wrote on Jun 13, 2008 10:41 AM:
GO HAMMOND wrote on Jun 13, 2008 10:03 AM:
THANK YOU. Finally an intelligent comment. No disrespect, no false accusations, just some positive, progressive thinking. I'm relieved to know there really are some people in Hammond who like where they live and cheer for progress. "
so... wrote on Jun 13, 2008 7:24 AM:
D wrote on Jun 12, 2008 4:27 PM:
B. Williams wrote on Jun 12, 2008 3:35 PM:
Dam wrote on Jun 12, 2008 2:58 PM:
Well now... wrote on Jun 12, 2008 2:51 PM:
To McDimwit for President wrote on Jun 12, 2008 1:47 PM:
He'll be doing well not to go to prison with Bob Cantrell. Birds of a feather do flock together and McMayor had his nose stuck further into Bobby's behind than any other politician of the last 10 years. "
McDermott for President wrote on Jun 12, 2008 1:10 PM:
wolfie wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:56 PM:
Yo complain complain wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:21 PM:
McFan wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:15 PM:
Now that was funny! It's true but also really funny. Hey maybe you could do a bit of stand up at the next Carsons rally? "
Yikes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 10:56 AM:
complain complain wrote on Jun 12, 2008 10:35 AM:
Rick A wrote on Jun 12, 2008 10:25 AM:
WHATEVER wrote on Jun 12, 2008 10:23 AM:
ernest wrote on Jun 12, 2008 10:20 AM:
No Andrew wrote on Jun 12, 2008 10:10 AM:
whats wrong with u people wrote on Jun 12, 2008 9:47 AM:
Frank wrote on Jun 12, 2008 9:44 AM:
It's rules we could and should learn and teach.
Instead of tickets make classroom training mandatory or be ticketed. "
Andrew wrote on Jun 12, 2008 9:28 AM:
What a messed up world we live in. "
to Hammond wrote on Jun 12, 2008 9:23 AM:
The Cat wrote on Jun 12, 2008 9:20 AM:
To Hammond wrote on Jun 12, 2008 9:17 AM:
Coyote is right wrote on Jun 12, 2008 9:14 AM:
To Hammond Resident wrote on Jun 12, 2008 9:05 AM:
Illinois Tags wrote on Jun 12, 2008 9:01 AM:
Vacant wrote on Jun 12, 2008 8:57 AM:
Shortfall in property taxes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 8:57 AM:
Good wrote on Jun 12, 2008 8:21 AM:
Stupid wrote on Jun 12, 2008 8:06 AM:
........ wrote on Jun 12, 2008 7:51 AM:
Hammond wrote on Jun 12, 2008 7:41 AM:
coyote wrote on Jun 12, 2008 7:04 AM:
GOOD wrote on Jun 12, 2008 6:32 AM:
Dan Kmak wrote on Jun 12, 2008 6:31 AM:
Wet Hen wrote on Jun 12, 2008 6:30 AM:
Running a red light is a parking offense?
A private company is running it. What pols cousin owns it and how much is he kicking back
BAH "
sounds great wrote on Jun 12, 2008 5:53 AM:
stupid wrote on Jun 12, 2008 4:10 AM:
Hammond Resident wrote on Jun 12, 2008 1:19 AM: