For most of this century, when you look at Capt. Allen Azran, you think red light cameras.
He is the Police Dept.’s most eloquent public advocate for the intersection electronic spies that nail thousands of impatient, speeding, careless Culver City drivers every month.
Did Capt. Azran choose the wrong profession?
If his powers of persuasion had been applied instead, in a classroom, thousands of students could have profited.
The spy cameras tiptoed back into the Culver City news last month when Chief Scott Bixby announced that the department only is expanding its network, equipment has been sharply upgraded.
As far as Chief Bixby and Capt. Azran are concerned, the electronic spies are here to stay.
Are red light cameras becoming less controversial as the end of their second decade approaches?
“A good question, and I am not sure,” Capt. Azran said.
While Culver City is a vigorous unstinting endorser of the concept, surrounding communities don’t seem to include many cheerleaders.
“There was a lot of negative talk during the height of the scandals (involving red light camera vendors) we don’t need to rehash,” said Capt. Azran. “It was at this same time that Los Angeles, the largest city using red light cameras, decided they no longer were going to use them. There was a lot of negative talk then.”
The mood is different now, he asserts.
“Now things have settled,” said Capt. Azran, not meaning to imply peace prevails.
“The cameras are not any less controversial. But they are not in the media as much and not on people’s minds as much.”
