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But from this article it seems exactly opposite.

It sounds like the Mesa Police Department is asking the city of Mesa to shut down any convenience which don't $30,000 or more buying cameras and stuff which will make it easy for the Mesa cops to catch criminals who steal from them.

I suspect if you asked the stores and the customers of the stores they would gladly forgo all these high tech features which will help the cops catch criminal in exchange for lower prices and less government regulation and most important less cops.

Source

Convenience store bill splits Mesa council

by Gary Nelson - May. 28, 2011 07:16 AM

The Arizona Republic

The Mesa City Council has spoken unanimously far more often than not since five new members were sworn in three years ago.

The council has worked overtime to promote amity, spending long hours to forge an agreed-upon set of goals and strategies for Mesa's future.

But on rare occasions the solid front cracks, and right now the council is split 4-3 on whether to impose tough new anti-crime rules on convenience stores. The division is so marked that even last week's introduction of the ordinance, normally a routine matter, was controversial.

If no one changes his mind, the rules are on track for approval June 6.

That won't go over well with the industry, which packed the City Council chamber with store owners and workers contending the rules would be a financial hardship that could drive some of them out of business.

One owner, Andy Youkhanna, told the council it would cost $30,000 to retrofit his store on South Mesa Drive.

"I'm being punished for doing a good job for 11 years, never calling the cops for any reason," he said. "I'm being punished for something I did not do. Any one of you can help with that $30,000 so I can upgrade my store?"

The specific issue dividing the council is which of two alternative ordinances to adopt.

Assistant Police Chief John Meza outlined the proposals in a recent study session.

Option 1 would impose the same set of rules on all stores, requiring security cameras and other measures no matter how many times the store has called police. Stores that could prove financial hardship might be given waivers for some requirements.

Option 2 would only lightly regulate stores with few calls to the police. Problem stores would face the heaviest regulation.

Dennis Kavanaugh, Dina Higgins and Scott Somers, who began working on the issue two years ago as members of the council's public safety committee, favor Option 1. So does Chris Glover, a current member of the public safety committee.

Mayor Scott Smith and Councilmen Dave Richins and Alex Finter support Option 2.

Somers told The Republic that unlike the massage parlor and hotel industries, which cooperated in the formation of recent anti-crime ordinances, convenience stores and their corporate lobbyists "have been very adversarial. . . . We did try to go the voluntary route first and had no response." [Hmmm I thought the cops and government rulers were "public servants" who do what we tell them. It sounds like the cops and government rulers consider themselves our masters who complain we we don't bend over and do as they tell us!]

"I care because it's impacting neighborhoods," Somers said. "The crime that can happen there can bleed out into the neighborhoods."

Kavanaugh said even Option 1 has been softened during talks with the industry.

But Smith and Richins said it would be bad precedent to adopt the tougher rules after Option 2 emerged from negotiations and received support from the Police Department.

"When we make ordinances we should be very, very careful to remember the power that government has," Smith said. "It should be wielded only, only with great caution and care and respect for those who are going to be affected by this."

Somers was the only council member to suggest last week he's willing to reconsider his stance, but he still leans strongly in favor of Option 1.

"I'm taking the next two weeks to confirm my vote," Somers said. He believes a forthcoming Arizona State University report on convenience store crime will show the problem is widespread and will demonstrate the need for strict regulations.