It’s no secret that executives at American Traffic Solutions (ATS) and Redflex hate each other. One sued the other over the freeway speed camera contract with the state of Arizona. Then the other counter-sued. It was quite amusing for those who were able to witness the proceedings and both companies were repeatedly reprimanded by the judge for their frivolous arguments.

ATS CEO Jim Tuton likes to brag that he served as mentor for current Redflex CEO Karen Finley. The company that is now called Redflex was actually started by Tuton and sold. Shortly thereafter he picked right back up in the scamera business, re-launching ATS to compete with his old organization.

Both Redflex and ATS have lost at the ballot box, several times over in the last 4-5 years. Usually it’s one or the other that are fighting the citizens to keep their flashing boxes mounted in their streets and intersections. In one case in 2012, they have pooled massive resources to beat a ballot measure in Murietta, CA.

They will both lose at the ballot box again today.

Murietta’s “Initiative N” would ban the $490 automated tickets sent out by ATS and scrap the cameras. The fight over this initiative has become so contentious that Redflex felt it necessary to jump in and donate $25,000 to a front group opposing the ban. [source]

The Press Enterprise from nearby Riverside, CA reports: 

In filings over the past week or so, Safe Streets for Murrieta reported receiving $105,000 in contributions from two camera companies. Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions, which has a contract to provide red-light cameras to Murrieta, has given $80,000 to the committee.

The committee also reported a $25,000 donation from another Arizona-based camera company: Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. of Phoenix. Redflex does not have a contract with Murrieta.

The committee reported it had already spent $50,000 by Oct. 20. It made a late filing this week, reporting an additional $55,000 contribution from ATS.

It’s looking like the $1,000 that the supports of the ban have spent on yard signs is going to be more than enough to defeat this massive astro-turfy push by ATS and Redflex.

This isn’t the first time the two vendors have teamed up. They also fund the front group Red Means Stop. However, it has been a while since the two have so publicly joined resources to make a stink.

Jim Lembke, a state senator from Missouri was interviewed by KMOV’s Chris Nagus in the report about American Traffic Solutions and the Tuton brothers.

Senator Lembke has been a staunch opponent of the red light camera scam in Missouri, so we decided to reach out and ask him a few questions about going up against these scammers and the complicit legislators who allow them to operate in Missouri.

Lembke has introduced legislation to make red light cameras illegal in his state for six years in a row and plans to push for that same legislation in the next session.

He had some interesting insight about the process.

WoD: Does the state of Missouri have a law which makes red light cameras legal?

Lembke: “Actually No. That has been one of my arguments against the system. What we have in Missouri are rogue municipalities who are passing ordinances allowing for red light camera use, which is contrary to state law.”

WoD: Last year, SB 611, a bill relating to yellow light timing that you introduced, passed and has been enacted. What specifically did the bill do and did you get complaints from the scamera companies and their apologists?

Lembke: 611 addressed some of the concerns and evidence we received about yellow lights being shortened in red light camera intersections. The shortened yellows were causing the dangerous “dilemma zone” effect and making accidents more likely to occur. This bill passed because it was all about safer intersections. The camera companies spend so much time talking about safety here in Missouri that they had to back down when we showed that longer yellow light times does what they can only claim their cameras do.

WoD: So basically you used their own arguments against them, saying that you could increase safety for free, while they are busy tinkering with signal timing and costing your state a lot of money in the process.

Lembke: Yes, that’s exactly what we did.

WoD: Well congrats, I think that argument could work well in many other states. Tell me about some of the positive response you’ve received while fighting against automated ticketing.

Lembke: Those who support upholding your constitutional rights have been very happy with my work

WoD: What would you suggest that people in Missouri who are fed up with the constitutional violations of the red light camera system do to help get rid of them.

Lembke: Communicate with your state legislators and show your support for outlawing this system across the state. Don’t let these rogue municipalities continue to violate your rights and subvert state law.

WoD: In that KMOV report, Ed Dowd, a former Federal Attorney and now legal counsel for American Traffic Solutions said, “red light cameras are needed because motorists want to be able to run red lights when they are in the mood for it.” How would you counter that?

Lembke: It’s shameful that a former federal attorney, turned hired gun for ATS would insult the citizens of Missouri that way. His company has also lobbied  these municipalites to change their ordinances so that red light tickets are now treated just like parking tickets. They actually made the argument that when a car is in the intersection during a red light it is “technically illegally parked.” These people do not care about safety.

WoD: That might be the worst argument for the cameras I have ever heard. Wow. It seems like citizen backlash against the photo ticketing scam in MO is at an all time high. Does that make you hopeful that a ban of that system could happen in the next legislative season?

Lembke: Yes it does. Also because of term limits in MO, some of my political opponents who are politically and financially beholden to ATS are termed out, so the path to getting this ban passed is a bit smoother this time.

WoD: That’s encouraging. Do you have a message for ATS and the Tutons?

Lembke: Well I am a capitalist and all in favor of companies making money, but not when it’s off the back of the taxpayer. That’s what this camera system is forcing on the public. They write ordinances specifically designed to make ATS more money through the force of government. That needs to stop.

This was obviously some very candid insight about the operation of ATS is in Missouri and how Lembke has attempted to curtail it through legislation.

He is up for reelection on Tuesday, November 6th and his challenger has hired a political consultant named Joyce Aboussie.  Aboussie was previously outed for receiving nearly 10% of all the revenue collected by American Traffic Solutions in the state of Missouri.

We know who ATS is rooting for in this election.

The fight to bring down the red light cameras in Los Angeles was won by Jay Beeber and SaferStreetsLA.org back in July.

This citizens group worked tirelessly to research stats about the danger posed to motorists by red light cameras and the increased accidents seen time after time.

Beeber and his group presented evidence to the L.A.P.D. whose commission unanimously voted to remove them. It was then up to City Council to take that recommendation.

After several debates, the council did the right thing and voted out American Traffic Solutions and their cash-grab cameras.

The physical camera removal process began yesterday. More on this developing story at SaferStreetsLA.org. [link]

Scottsdale, AZ is the home of American Traffic Solutions and plenty of controversy involving their photo enforcement scheme.

Back in August of 2008, activist Jason Shelton was filming a peaceful protest of an operating photo radar van. From witness accounts, what happened next was an embarrassment to the Scottsdale Police Department and is now proving costly to the city and taxpayers.

The van operator, under instructions from ATS management called the police who arrived on the scene quickly. Shelton was accosted by Scottsdale PD officer Keith English when he didn’t provide an ID card. Witness accounts and subsequent video evidence showed that Shelton verbally told Officer English who he was, which is sufficient identification in the eyes of the court. English went outside his authority and arrested Shelton for “failure to provide ID.”

Video evidence obtained via FOIA request showed an outburst by English during the booking process in which he stomped on Shelton’s foot, which then required medical attention.

A lawsuit was filed by Shelton against the city of Scottsdale over the incident which was just settled this week for $28,000. [settlement]

According to the terms, Scottsdale has chosen to take the money to pay out on the suit from a property tax fund and will raise their residents taxes to compensate.

Not only is Scottsdale willing to suppress freedom of speech over their questionable law enforcement practices (ATS), but will then use taxpayer money to bail out the Police Department, when their officers do the bidding of a private corporation.

This is not an isolated incident for American Traffic Solutions, the city and the PD. Less than two years later, a retired Federal Agent of 26 years, Neville Cramer, noticed some ATS employees running an illegal test of their radar and flashing camera equipment. Cramer was flashed while driving at the posted limit.

He pulled over to investigate, informed the ATS employees that they were violating the law and called Scottsdale PD to come out and intervene. When the police arrived, they arrested Cramer instead.

He was booked and charged with “fighting.” Unsurprisingly, it was Officer Keith English making this arrest too. He appears to be the chief thug enforcer for ATS.

During the subsequent dealings he had with ATS attorneys, they informed him that he “might as well plead guilty,  because no matter what, you’ll be found guilty.” The ATS attorney boasted, “we tell the city of Scottsdale what to do and they do it.” [VIDEO] Cramer was found guilty and his appeal was denied.

If American Traffic Solutions and CEO Jim Tuton really have that type of hold over the court system and the police department, a full federal investigation of fraud and corruption would be appropriate to determine just how they’ve been able to exercise that control.

by CameraFRAUD