Back the Blue.
That’s a phrase we hear quite a bit around the Arizona State Capitol. But, supporting our men and women in uniform requires much more than lip service. And they need our help right now.
Because, as you read this, there are two legislative proposals being considered that would hurt local police and make our streets more dangerous.
SB 1019 bans cities and towns from using photo enforcement, including cameras to catch red-light runners and speeding motorists. Even worse, SCR 1002 refers to the 2026 ballot a proposal to outlaw photo enforcement statewide. This measure would let voters in, say, Flagstaff, determine what tools are appropriate for police in Mesa, Scottsdale or Phoenix.
So much for local control.
In cities and towns across Arizona, local police departments are understaffed and overworked. We ask them to keep drugs out of our communities, patrol our neighborhoods, take violent offenders off our streets, coordinate with ICE and other federal authorities, and so much more. Police can’t be everywhere all at once, so photo enforcement – where local officials choose to utilize it – helps monitor traffic infractions for red-light running and severe speeding.
That frees police officers to focus on gang violence, drug trafficking, crimes against children and other serious offenses.
Arizona’s largest law enforcement organizations are urging legislators to oppose SB 1019 and SCR 1002. The Arizona Police Association represents the collective voice of more than 12,000 police officers across 50 departments statewide, and the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police represents local law enforcement leaders. Both groups agree with me that cities and towns should have the option to continue utilizing photo enforcement, as they have in Arizona for nearly 40 years.
This isn’t about replacing officers. Far from it. This is about using proven technology to help law enforcement be more effective in keeping Arizona streets safe.
Police need all the help they can get.
Someone is killed on an Arizona roadway every six hours – that’s more than three deaths a day. Every day. In 2023 alone, over 1,300 people were killed and nearly 55,000 injured in Arizona crashes.
Red-light running is an epidemic. Arizona has one of the nation’s highest rates of red-light deaths, which account for nearly 1 in 5 traffic fatalities in the state. In addition to increased patrols, red-light cameras are another tactic to discourage the red-light running that makes each of our commutes more dangerous. Numerous local and national studies have found that red-light cameras reduce crashes, including an analysis that saw a 28% reduction at Phoenix intersections with the technology vs. those without.
Why not let local elected officials, in coordination with their local police, determine whether photo enforcement is appropriate? Why would Republican legislators in downtown Phoenix believe it is their role to take away a critical law enforcement tool from local communities in the rest of the state?
If we’re going to make Arizona communities safer, Back the Blue has to be more than just a slogan. I am standing with local police and police chiefs who oppose SB 1019 and SCR 1002, and urge my fellow legislators to do the same.
State Sen. Frank Carroll is a Republican from Sun City West. He was elected to the Arizona Senate in 2022, after serving two terms in the House of Representatives.
There’s Backing the Blue and there’s supporting and growing the Surveillance State. If I wanted gov to watch every thing I do all the time I’d move to China. If it means that LE thinks I’m turning my back on them, then so be it, I will not support being treated like a criminal or subject. I’d rather _everyone_ CCW than live under the unblinking eye of zos who only vant to kip us zafe.
Vote no for the surveillance state! This is just another government power grab in collusion with corporate greed all for revenue in the name of safety.
Citizens are tired of your incursion of our freedoms.
bad move, no photo radar. Before it was only a source of revenue, since problem intersections were not allowed to make adjustments for safety since it would impact money to the photo radar company.
oui! to simple – want less crashes – make the phase ‘RED” to ‘GREEN’ 3 to 4 seconds longer! So everyone ‘stops’ ok – turns green.. PHX at one time had less than a second between RED to GREEN – not sure what it is now – but this is the way to reduce ‘incidents’
BTW – I live 2 blocks from the most dangerous intersection in the city – PAY ATTENTION
I’m okay with these. The police should be funded to do their job, even if it’s traffic related. Ban the cameras, they’ll just contract to outside companies that will take 50% of the revenue. Police should be funded, not photo enforcement companies.
Cameras don’t do community engagement or help law enforcement understand who traverses their community.
I won’t support the blue until teachers are equally supported
We need to revamp Training got Police Recruits and Field Training. Today’s Police Officer has lost the ability to make a connection with the Community. He/She is connected to an electronic device the majority of the shift. He/She almost never proactively walks a beat, talking with the community and starting personal relationships. Without a connection to the Community that Officer will never be able to relate to a Witness or cultivate an investigative lead from the Community.
Has anyone talked to the Republicans at the Capitol who support banning photo radar? My husband is a law enforcement officer and there’s nothing that infuriates me more than when lawmakers say “I back the blue” then pass laws that TAKE AWAY tools from law enforcement and make it harder to do their jobs. Please practice what you preach. Thanks, Senator Carroll, for standing up for AZ police.
Thank you, Senator! Senator Carroll represents my district. A few years ago, I almost died after a man ran a red light and t boned me going full speed. Our law enforcement need every tool they can get to keep our community safe and help prevent life-altering accidents, like mine, going forward.
Never mind the fact that his stupid bill, if it were to become law, wouldn’t have done jack shite to prevent the accident that you were involved in…….. And when the senator says “back the blue”, he’s blowing smoke……
Wow I didn’t know Sen. Carroll was RINO who supports taxation without representation. Good to know since it’s my voting district. These cameras have absolutely 0 to do with safety, they cause more accidents than they stop. Phoenix had HUGE increases in rear end collisions at camera intersections. This is all about revenue generation for cities . El mirage for instance had a malfunctioning camera that just snapped pictures of every vehicle that passed it and a couple birds. The city was pushing hard for the fines until it was determined the camera was maliciously programmed. It’s a scam and any Republican that supports this garbage won’t get my vote and I will actively campaign against them in my neighborhood.
make the shift from RED one way to GREEN the other L O N G E R – thus the traffic does not cross into each others way… problem solved. Make it longer till the problem is resolved – right now it’s 1.0 seconds.. make it 5 ? 8 ? 10? whats it take to get the numbers
SB 1019 bans cities and towns from using photo enforcement, including cameras to catch red-light runners and speeding motorists. Even worse, SCR 1002 refers to the 2026 ballot a proposal to outlaw photo enforcement statewide. This measure would let voters in, say, Flagstaff, determine what tools are appropriate for police in Mesa, Scottsdale or Phoenix.
Tucson – of all places banned these cameras – YEA!!!!! NO CAMERAS!!!! This is just mining the people for money.
NO CAMERAS !!! NO CAMERAS !!!!! NO CAMERAS !!!!!!!!!!!
Scameras? We don’t need no stinkin’ scameras!
I have over thirty years of Arizona Law Enforcement service and have watched both the liberals and conservatives attack local law enforcement officers. One attack that particularly hacked me off was one Arizona conservatives questioning if police needed armored vehicles and military type of equipment. Well, it is simple analysis; if the bad guys are using military grade equipment, the good guys should have adequate protection. For the fiscal minded, think about this simple cost benefit analysis. If a police officer or firefighter is severally injured or killed in the line of duty, it costs the Arizona taxpayer at a minimum a million dollars in various costs. A simple chunk of a brick thrown at a police officer is a million-dollar weapon. Think of that the next time you are drinking your coffee and watching the cops in a riot.
Legislators are politicians, a odd species. Perhaps a simple lesson on cost benefit analysis for the conservatives would help. For the liberals they could use humanities with a dash of civil responsibility. As for the Marxists, they are simply our enemy and not willing to learn anything.
And your point is what. Lots of directed bs
what ifs but no actualwords of support or
Not. yes the cameras werr a local govt scam
and would be the same again imnsho. If we are so ahort of leos why are 3-4 cars at stops in and out of
Towns? The problem is lack of support by
Politians but a lot of supposed support by
The same politicians. Hire Qualified officers
And pay a decent wage. Camera scams WILL
Not fix the issue
Backing the Blue, or Freeing up police to fight gangs, etc. are false excuses. Arizona legislators will be wise to avoid taking any steps to implement a digitally-monitored society tended by Artificially Intelligent technology. It is up and working great today in the “Peoples Republic of China.”
Yea, its about public safety just like last time. The cities went nuts with the traffic cameras and made millions from unsuspecting motorists. It was never about safety it was about another revenue stream for the cities and they took advantage of it until the public got tired of their grift. The Senator can shove this bill into whichever orifice he would like. So tired of being screwed by our governments on an unrelenting basis…..
Well, as a 24 year veteran officer in the Great State of Arizona, I’d like Senator Carroll to know he can shove his photo radar cameras where the sun don’t shine. Thank you.