-
Join the MyBroadband community
South Africa’s biggest forum. Discuss, discover, and connect with thousands of members.
-
Question of the Day: What is the ultimate French toast topping?
Cape Town's Ghost Squad
- Thread starter genetic
- Start date
pjjdp
Expert Member
Invisible policing = Invisible money making scheme. Nuff said.
Fulcrum29
Honorary Master
Shame, I think the police put an end to his planned bank job as getaway driver... As for unsuspecting drivers, why would they be pulled over? They are not suspect...
As for the recorded material, if you speed the traffic police do have to prove that you exceeded the speed limit. A simple recording by a unmarked vehicle will not suffice, they must have an marked traffic police vehicle pull you over. Recorded actions like running a red light, stop street or reckless driving etc. may hold up in court as evidence, especially repeated offences.
I really cannot see Tim182's problem with this...
Because they drive a car which the ghost squad driver is jealous of and can't afford himself, happens often enough unfortunately. There is too much abuse in this country, just take the government VIP escorts... I want to have visible policing so I can take down their registration numbers and report the offers if need be. Abuse of power is less likely to occur if things are transparent and policing is visible
Good to know. If that's all it will be used for then fine. I highly doubt it though, seen to much crap happen unfortunately.
Cheap cars aren't targeted because the drivers can't afford the fines and expensive cars are pulled over just because they can afford it
Nerfherder
Honorary Master
The dash cams have speedo's so all they have to do is prove that you were going faster than the speed limit. The cop can speed up to your speed or a speed near you and this will hold up.
AlmightyBender
Executive Member
Guys, what Tim is trying to say is that visible policing prevents crime, rather than invisible policing only recording/reacting to crime. I have to say I'm also for visible policing.
I'd rather have some dumb **** too scared to talk on his phone while driving because he knows that there are popo everywhere than him getting caught for it. In the second scenario he still does the action and puts peoples lives at risk. Imo society profits more when people don't do crime rather than when they are caught doing crime.
I'd rather have some dumb **** too scared to talk on his phone while driving because he knows that there are popo everywhere than him getting caught for it. In the second scenario he still does the action and puts peoples lives at risk. Imo society profits more when people don't do crime rather than when they are caught doing crime.
EXACTLY! The problem is that a lot of officers don't act on crimes. They simply ignore events if they are on lunch break or on the way home. Then it seems that only metro cops are allowed to pull people over. Why not give other cops the right as well (after training them of course)? So often you see people speed past a cop car and they don't act on it. Let's improve that first before trying to trick people
Visible policing prevents crime, invisible policing does nothing. Most people will have forgotten about the news on the ghost squad in a week, others never hear about it. They just continue to drive badly and nothing will change. If visible policing increased and the cops actually enforced the law more often we surely would see an impact on the behavior on the roads.
Last edited:
Fulcrum29
Honorary Master
I am no cop, but are mobile speed cameras which is dash mounted legal in South Africa? I know that all speed trap devices should be within regulation to be allowed for issuing fines or warrants. I would like to have some clarity on this; there were an issue that this trap technique can be manipulated some time back.
Here is a link on your rights regarding speeding: http://www.legalcity.net/Index.cfm?fuseaction=RIGHTS.article&ArticleID=5859772
I can see how a speeding person whom thinks he is Ken Block by using his own evasive maneuvers to pass other vehicles can be seen as reckless driving on a camera recording. Those who speed beyond we would say is normal on international roads can be caught for avoiding arrest and reckless driving and road cameras “may” be used to calculate the speed between point A and B if taken to court. Yet, the driver must admit that he did break the speed limit. But going 10km/h over the speed limit… this I regard as another issue, although you are still breaking the law. Caught by stationary camera, ouch! I would like to hear opinions on this.
Fulcrum29
Honorary Master
You are correct on the bold part. I always wondered who trained metro cops since their behaviour is not very civilised.
Archer
Honorary Master
So I assume you and tim will be making the 50 buhjillion rand donation to pay for all these cops to be everywhere all the time so that they can be visible every 500m so that traffic violations are prevented instead of reacted to?
What you are failing to grasp is that invisible policing is more cost effective, and in the long term has the same effect on the general population.
The ghost squad will have none to very little impact on the overall traffic situation in Cape Town. Sure, a few drivers will be scared but the average Joe doesn't even know they are around and will keep driving the same way he always has.
I am not saying there should be cops everywhere, just an increased presence and better enforcement. The money spend on these cars could just as well been spend on normal cop cars and the salaries for these special trained drivers could have been spend on much cheaper normal drivers. Overall I wouldn't be surprised if we could have gotten 2 or 3 normal patrol cars for every ghost squad car going around. Of course now you will try and argue that one single ghost quad car has a better impact on the roads than 3 marked patrol cars... Well, the three cars could be watching three areas and reduce reckless driving in those areas..
Tim, the Ghost Squad is making a huge impact. Guys have been caught that the cops were looking for for years. The cameras do automatic numberplate checking all the time which a human being cannot do and the fact the pro criminals now have no more places to hide with a Ghost Squad vehicle makes it a very effective tool.
BTW the GoPro cameras make for excellent Ghost Squad cars ...
BTW the GoPro cameras make for excellent Ghost Squad cars ...
What?
That connected to a tablet connected to the cloud connected to eNatis ... busted.
At least they are making a difference somehow. In this country, that counts for everything.
Also, look at it like this... If you're doing something illegal and you see a cop car (They're not difficult to spot) you're gona stop what you're doing. Of course, with these Ghost Squad guys... Criminals have no idea that they are being watched... Until they start getting arrested.
Its crafty and sneaky and just about the only way you can actively catch these guys off-guard. Word will spread among criminals and hopefully instil fear in them. Would you rather have criminals afraid all the time and not knowing when they may be caught, or knowing exactly when they can be caught and only being afraid then ?
And when you see people with GoPro cams roaming shopping centre parking garages ... be sure you have no outstanding warrants, fines, etc ... not in Cape Town at least ...
I'm not sure what you getting at???
The day is also upon us when cheap ANPR cams at shopping centre parking entrances will automatically and within seconds check police/traffic databases and not allow a flagged car to exit after entry. An alarm may even go off to alert cops nearby. Busted. Just mentioning for those here into tech.
I doubt that would happen any time soon...