The following is from John Hoeppner:

If you believe (as many do) that Carefree has turned into a money-making "anti-motorcyclist" speed trap / motorcycle noise trap please write a letter to editor of the Sonoran News today.

John Hoeppner - Cave Creek, AZ - Member Black Mt. Motorcycle Club

E-Mail: Sonnews@aol.com

Fax: 480-488-6216

There is only one way to get to Harold's, The Buffalo Chip, The Hideaway and other Cave Creek biker friendly establishments - you have to go through Carefree to get to Cave Creek. This year Carefree will be aggressively be looking for ways to discourage motorcyclists.

Carefree issues 300 to 400 speeding tickets per month generating $40,000 to $50,000 per month ($600,000 per year). You could be next causing your insurance rates to increase.

For those of you not familiar with the activities in Carefree here is some important information. Be sure to read the two articles below - Sonoran News & Scottsdale Republic.

At least two Deputies have been allowed to work in Carefree for months sexually harassing women by offering to not write a ticket in exchange for sex. Other deputies roughed up and arrested 70-year old Carefree architect Fred Osman for a minor speeding violation. A single mother was pushed around and arrested for attempting to call her children home alone to tell them she would be delayed during an expired plates stop. Rick Stockett was stopped for speeding and a deputy (with his hand on his weapon ready to shoot) made threatening comments.

If safety is a primary concern of Carefree and Cave Creek residents then work should begin on removing the threat of deputies stopping, intimidating and threatening visitors and local residents.

SONORAN NEWS – OCTOBER 21, 2004

http://www.sonorannews.com/community.html

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Speed limit debate stems from radar gun purchase

Visitors upset about low speed limits

By Curtis Riggs

CAREFREE – A battle over the viability of speed limits in the community has ensued since the town authorized the purchase of two new radar guns earlier this month.

Town council authorized the purchase of two new units for just over $6,400 on Oct. 5. The two new radar guns will replace units that were 18 and 10 years old.

Local activist John Hoeppner said he recently attended a gun class where 10 out of the 12 other members of the class (including the instructor) said they had recently received speeding tickets in Carefree. He said most of the attendees who admitted receiving tickets in Carefree said they would not return to Carefree for business or pleasure.

“There were no kids in the classroom either, most were senior citizens,” Hoeppner said. “The overall consensus is that Carefree’s ‘speed-trap’ initiative is anti-tourist, anti-business and anti-citizen. Most everyone (in the class) agreed that the deputies had an ‘attitude’ – in most cases approaching their stopped vehicle with one hand on their gun.”

Hoeppner remembers that it was local deputies who “manhandled” both a 70-year-old man and a young mother from Cave Creek after they were stopped for minor traffic violations.

MCSO deputies often write nearly 300 traffic citations in Carefree a month. The number of tickets written in Cave Creek monthly averages around 50.

Hoeppner refers to the local vote for sheriff in the September Republican primary when stressing there is growing discontent about how sheriff’s personnel deal with local citizens. “In my opinion the recent primary elections are an indicator of the degree of dissatisfaction and discontent,” Hoeppner said. “Seventy percent voted against the sheriff in Cave Creek and 60 percent voted against the sheriff in Carefree.”

Carefree Town Councilman, and council law-enforcement liaison Bob Coady pushed for the purchase of the two new radar guns after Carefree cut the services of a motorcycle officer out of its law-enforcement budget. He refused comment about Hoeppner’s contention that there is growing discontent about the number of traffic citations written in Carefree.

Carefree Mayor Ed Morgan says that Carefree’s speed limits were set with the safety of Carefree citizens in mind. “Our first priority is the safety of Carefree residents, therefore we will continue to enforce our speed limits even if it is an inconvenience to transients,” he said.

SCOTTSDALE REPUBLIC - LETTER TO THE EDITOR

E-Mail: ne.letters@scottsdalerepublic.com

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/scottsdale/articles/1015sr-radar15Z8.html

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Carefree to buy 2 new radar guns for deputies

Thomas Ropp

The Arizona Republic / Scottsdale Republic

Oct. 15, 2004

CAREFREE - A little more zip and a lot more zap have been added to Carefree's arsenal to fight speeders.

The town will spend $6,400 to purchase two new radar guns to replace the current units, which are 18 and 10 years old.

Lt. David Trombi of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Cave Creek substation said the old guns had a tendency to shut down when jarred by a bump. They also couldn't track speeding motorists approaching from behind patrol cars.

Carefree Councilman Bob Coady said the new radar guns "will be more efficient" and make the jobs of patrol officers easier.

Coady also expressed concern that motorists who received speeding tickets in Carefree might be able to have their tickets overturned if they challenged the maintenance records for the old guns.

Trombi confirmed that the maintenance records were voluminous.

Carefree and neighboring Cave Creek contract their police services with the Sheriff's Office. Carefree also owns the two patrol cars used by sheriff's officers and is responsible for equipment replacement.

ALERT: If you have been ticketed in the last 5 years - you may have
recourse regarding the malfunctioning radar guns.
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