CITY NEWS
SCOTTSDALE SHIFTS PHOTO ENFORCEMENT LOCATIONS BASED ON SPEED, CRASH DATA By Holly Walter Public Information Officer SPEEDING AND RED-LIGHT CAMERAS WORK IN TANDEM TO IMPROVE SAFETY – A FACT WELL-SUPPORTED IN SCOTTSDALE AND WHY THE CITY HAS DEACTIVATED TWO LOCATIONS AND ADDED FOUR NEW INTERSECTION SAFETY CAMERAS.
Photo enforcement systems on Thomas Road eastbound at Hayden Road and McDowell Road eastbound at Scottsdale Road will be deactivated.
• Frank Lloyd Wright westbound at Greenway-Hayden Loop • Indian School Road westbound at Hayden Road
The following four new systems are now activated: • Scottsdale Road southbound at Pinnacle Peak Road • Shea Boulevard westbound at 92nd Street
Choosing which locations are no longer needed photo enforcement, and selecting new locations was a data-based decision made after city traffic engineers analyzed an aggregate of collision, red light/speeding violations, collision severity and traffic volume data. “The technology helps us enforce traffic laws and allows us to maximize the deployment of our patrol officers throughout the city,” said Alex Ristuccia, Scottsdale Police Program Manager of Photo Enforcement. Scottsdale has used photo enforcement systems since 1996. A 2017 study by Lee Engineering, an independent firm specializing in research and forensic traffic engineering, showed that overall crashes decreased by 23 to 24 percent, and crashes related specifically to red-light running decreased 33 to 35 percent at the city’s existing intersections with red-light and speeding photo enforcement.
The study added to a growing body of research conducted both in the Valley and nationwide that demonstrates the effectiveness of photo enforcement for reducing traffic violations and crashes. “If you reduce the problem of speeding, you automatically reduce the problem of people violating red lights because they can stop,” said Scottsdale Transportation Director Paul Basha. Scottsdale’s fixed intersection safety cameras operate 24/7 and capture both red-light violators and those exceeding the speed limit by 11 miles-per-hour or more. For the first 30 days of operation, warnings will be issued to drivers who speed through or run red-lights at the new locations. The fixed intersection safety cameras will work in conjunction with the mobile vans and portable photo enforcement towers, which rotate around the city based on citizen complaints and speed data. All violations and citations are reviewed and approved by police employees.
AG BRNOVICH WARNS OF SPIKE IN RESALE SCAMS INVOLVING TIMESHARES IN MEXICO ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK BRNOVICH IS WARNING ARIZONANS ABOUT A RISE IN SOPHISTICATED SCAMS RELATED TO THE SALE OF TIMESHARE INTERESTS IN MEXICO. Scammers often posing as real estate brokers contact consumers and claim that a buyer would like to purchase or rent the consumer’s existing timeshare interest at a location in Mexico. The con artists tell consumers that a buyer wants to pay tens of thousands of dollars for their timeshare, but the consumer must pay money upfront for taxes, or put money into an escrow account. The consumer is directed to wire money to accounts in Mexico. The scammers will attempt to continue to extract money from the consumer until the consumer runs out of money or realizes they’ve been scammed. Although these scams are typically operated by individuals within the country of Mexico, scammers frequently conceal their identity by using the name of legitimate businesses in the United 4 • April 2019 • SCOTTSDALE NORTH NEWS
States, often using the names of businesses registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission that have been inactive for years. Scammers will also create new, slick websites to appear legitimate, and populate internet sites with fake reviews. In some cases, con artists have even posed as part of Mexico’s government and say the Mexican government has set up a fund to assist victims of timeshare fraud in Mexico. “Our office has seen an increase in consumer complaints involving timeshare resale scams in Mexico,” said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. “These scammers know some people are desperate to get out of their timeshares and prey upon that vulnerability to steal their money. Never wire or send money to people you don’t know or to a stranger in another country.” If you believe you are a victim of consumer fraud, you can file a complaint online with the Attorney General’s Office. You can also contact the Consumer Information and Complaints Unit in Phoenix at (602) 542-5763. scottsdalenorthnews.com
