A petition to remove red light cameras in Chapel Hill is causing a stir among town council and community members.

At Monday night's town council meeting, Council Member Mark Kleinschmidt presented a petition asking the town to remove the cameras.

But supporters of red light cameras presented a petition of their own, asking the town to keep the cameras in place. They say the cameras make sure red light runners do not get away with it.

But Kleinschmidt said the town should terminate its contract with the company that runs the program because the cameras privatize the police function.

"You don't have a privacy issue when driving down the road," Kleinschmidt said. "If you violate the law you should be pulled over and given a ticket, which is exactly what I think we should do. We should allow the police to pull you over and give you a ticket if you violate the law."

Kleinschmidt said two out of three drivers whose pictures are taken by the cameras do not receive citations.

Members of the public will have a chance to voice their opinions about the fate of the cameras at a meeting on Jan. 26.