I-Team: Toni Preckwinkle's SUV caught by Chicago speed cameras

CHICAGO (WLS) -- In an Eyewitness News exclusive, another high profile politician's SUV is caught by Chicago's speed cameras. It comes after we first revealed Mayor Rahm Emanuel's motorcade racked up nearly two dozen red light and speed camera tickets.

The I-Team tracked Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's vehicle and went to the city's website to see whether the president's personal protectors follow the same rules as the rest of us. Her vehicle has been cited for speeding more often than the mayor's cars. His cars had more red light tickets. And like the mayor, her official vehicle has so many violations, it's eligible for the boot.

Washington Park on Chicago's South Side is just a few blocks from the home of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and her security detail appears to drive through it quite often.

Eight times this year, cameras have caught Preckwinkle's county-owned vehicle speeding through the park, and in every instance, it was going more than 11 miles per hour over the limit. In March, a camera clocked the SUV going 50 miles per hour in the 30 MPH zone. The following week, snow-covered streets didn't slow the driver enough to avoid another ticket.

"I guess that's the privilege of being a public official: You don't have to comply with the same rules you legislate," said Mark Wallace, red light and speed camera activist.

Mark Wallace has organized protests against Chicago's red light and speed cameras, saying they are nothing more than a money trap. Activists don't buy Mayor Rahm Emanuel's claims that the cameras are all about safety.

"This is supposed to work as a deterrent," said Emanuel on November 11, 2011.

Two weeks ago, the I-Team exposed the mayor's motorcade racked-up 17 red light tickets and three speed warnings in the last 2.5 years. Records show two of Preckwinkle's vehicle's speeding tickets have been paid, the others have not. Why not? A Preckwinkle spokesman claims the county never received violation notices.

Members of the security detail "were not aware of any other tickets issued in that time frame and would have paid them had they received them. They have never asked to have a moving violation expunged and have always paid any citations they've received personally," the spokesman said.

"We would be found guilty. They'd say ignorance is no excuse," said Wallace.

A city spokesman agrees that not receiving notices isn't a reason for not paying. The fines on Preckwinkle's SUV now total at least $1,300.

A Preckwinkle spokesperson points out that unlike the mayor's motorcade, her bodyguards have personally paid several of their speed and parking violations. She also says that speeding from time to time may be necessary to ensure Preckwinkle's security.