Daley OK with giving private security guards city ticket-writing authority

Daley OK with giving private security guards city ticket-writing authority

www.chicagotribune.com

As the city and its police union near the two-year mark in contract negotiations, Mayor Richard Daley on Saturday said a proposal to allow private security guards to write tickets is worth exploring.
Only Chicago police officers can issue citations, but two far South Side aldermen want armed security guards who patrol business districts in their wards to have that authority as well.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.associatedcontent.com
www.nbcchicago.com

Now I just watched an interview by Fox Chicago Morning News with one of the Aldermen who supports this idea. His final arguement was: "You have civilians picking up your garbage with Streets and Sanitation, why not Private Security officers being allowed to issue "low level" tickets such as parking meter violations, graffitti tickets and smoking tickets."

I think this will "empower" cop-wannabes who can't become municipal, county or State officers to abuse this new "power" and create more turmoil concerning a growing police-state.

I dunno.

www.chicagotribune.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Private security companies run for profit must never, EVER be given the legal powers afforded to American Law enforcement officials.

There's a reason why security guards have to call the Police to arrest people like any other good citizen.

Because they're just citizens.
Abuses of power would be rampant, and Blackwater is the tell-tale example of blurring the line between the legislated government and the private corporation, until you get the point where the Government starts using Private corporations to police people.

Which is the last thing we need, lest we turn into a Police State.

Collecting your garbage is one thing, I don't see how anyone is going to abuse the right to "dispose of the citizenry's trash".

Issuing tickets would be just the start. Before you know it they'd be given the powers of arrest and detainment.

[edit on 23/3/09 by The Godfather of Conspira]

Given the fact that most private security guards are all in Lou Costello mode I woudn't worry about them writing anything more than an IOU at a Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop.

[edit on 23-3-2009 by smokehouseslim]

[edit on 23-3-2009 by smokehouseslim]

My concern is the rent-a-cops who have power issues. They (the security guards in the article) already have sidearm/weapon allowances. This I understand. The South Side of Chi-town can be a rough place, but, to allow them to have ticketing power is just asking for trouble.
And, I agree with the views of the poster above me, Godfather. Private security should never have law-enforcement responsabilities.

I truely hope this doesn't pass, but, knowing Chicago politics, some security firm is paying good money to someone to push this idea.

Cuhail

alot of the UK has gone over the private compaines for parking tickets - and suddenly theres an increaase in the amount written

I live in Chicago and they are already doing this. They sold the parking meters to a private company which raised the rates last week. Downtown, where I work, it used to be $.25 for 15 minutes with a 2 hour max. Meaning you have to leave a highrise you are working in to feed the meter every two hours. Working with freight elevators (I am a contractor) that can mean a 30 minute round trip. Now $.25 buys you about 8 minutes with still the 2 hour max. The new company carries web portals and when they write you a ticket, they print out a picture right there which proves the violation. Used to be if you parked at a meter that was broken, they couldn't ticket you because they have to maintain them, now they say if a meter is broken you can't park there or you will be ticketed. It's completely ridiculous.

reply to post by elston


I thought that deal was pretty shifty too. I know that the company that owns (leases) all the meters in Chicago is a foriegn company. I know that the companies that lease all the tollroads and expressways are foriegn-owned as well.

The rent-a-cop ticketing powers are still on the table, though. It hasn't taken effect yet.....yet.

Cuhail

reply to post by Cuhail


I can see you questioning this one.

Having grown up in the Chicago burbs, and having lived in Wrigleyville during the terms of the elder Daley, Bilandic, and Byrne, I can say with good faith that Chicago politics are sketchy at best, and always have been.

It's just normal for the Chicago machine politics to pull a stunt like this.

Figure they won't have to hire more coppers to pay benefit to. Makes sense to me in the world of Chi town politics!

reply to post by Cuhail



Do have more information on these companies being foreign owned. I have some freinds at the Chicago Tribune who would love that information.

reply to post by elston

HARTFORD, CT - December 2, 2008 - LAZ Parking, LLC is pleased to announce that a consortium led by Morgan Stanley's infrastructure investment group has been selected by the City of Chicago as the preferred bidder for the 75-year concession of the Chicago Metered Parking System. LAZ Parking, headquartered in Hartford, will be responsible for the operation of the system.
The Metered Parking System has up to 45,000 parking meters, together with surface parking lots, throughout downtown Chicago. The City retains all power and authority to set rates and periods of stay and operation for all of the parking meters in the System. The acquisition of the concession is subject to the approval of the Chicago City Council and the Board of Commissioners of the Park District and financial close is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2009.

the meters are morgan-stanley (probably using bailout money )

the expressway and skyway are Cintra-Macquarie (Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte SA (Madrid) and Macquarie Investment Holdings (Sydney Australia)

so the roads are a 50/50 split between spain and australia

[edit on 23/3/09 by Harlequin]

reply to post by Blanca Rose


You forgot Mayor Washington. As a Lake County resident, I see Chitown Politics seeping outwards all the time.
Look at Cicero and Betty Loren Maltese. Look at Rosemont and Donald Stevens. Look at North Chicago and Waukegan Politics up by me. It's spreading.

Thanks for posting!
__________________________________________________________

reply to post by elston


I'll look into that info. My Brother-in-Law is a Township Supervisor locally and his wife, my sister, is an employee of a local Village Public Works Dept. They are one of my favorite Sources.

Cuhail

[edit]
reply to post by Harlequin


Thanks Harley! Can you edit a link into that. I am really going by snippets of what I have heard and haven't looked into it as I'd liked. (it's on the list). Thanks for clearing that up!

[/edit]

[edit on 3/23/2009 by Cuhail]

link for quote is

www.lazparking.com...


but you are right (in a way)

In the fall of 2007, LAZ Parking formed a partnership with Europe's top parking operator, VINCI Park. This transaction represented a mutual growth strategy by both parking leaders. VINCI Park has built an extremely successful network of parking operations in countries throughout Western and Eastern Europe and Canada. VINCI Park, headquartered in Paris, France currently operates over 863,000 parking spaces in 300 cities, in 14 countries. This joint venture between LAZ and VINCI enables LAZ Parking to support VINCI Park's growth in the United States by giving it the benefit of its top-quality management, and a successful track record of significant growth.

www.lazparking.com...

whilst not foreign per se , they have a big tie up with a french firm now

I'm having trouble finding Owner/Leasor info regarding the tollways. But, I'm looking!

Looking
Looking....

C

Just need to watch this video to know why giving security guards power to act like cops is a horrible idea:
www.youtube.com...

reply to post by Leto


I don't think that is representative of every private security officer in America. I am good friends with quite a few. To blanket the whole profession under that guy is a bit extreme.

Cuhail