Traffic Tickets For Profit

[javacontour]

I wanted to dredge this topic back up after reading the Sunday paper. I tried to put this in the other topic, but the board kept puking, so I'm trying a new post...

Here is a story about a local police department whose primary focus appears to be revenue generation and not public safety.

Dunno how true it is, but read for yourself.

Town Pressures Officers to Write More Tickets

 

[Gary Allan]

It doesn't quite make sense. I'm not saying that it is not true ..it's just not founded in any sound rationale`.

If 100% of your police force is occupied 100% of the time generating a maximum of 45% (a reported 38%) ..it would reason that you could lay off 55% (62% based on reported revenues) of them and NOT write tickets. This would allow the one's not on lay off to only fight crime.

This would only make sense in a couple of ways. The cheif is a screw off and has a couple of screw off buddies ..so they get the rest to earn "their" pay. If the movtivation is from the town counsel ..then you will probably find that "those" are major land owners in the township (borough, hamlet, etc.) and don't want the tax burden to spill over to them for a "properly run" police force. The chief being their pal to assure that this doesn't happen.

 

[ryansride2017]

I would like to hear from some police officers on BITOG!! Seems like our local police are more motivated to generate revenue by issuing tickets compared to "protecting the public". When I see police hiding behind bushes with radar guns (there were actually two of them) its getting a little ridiculous. In a dreamworld it would be cool if everyone would follow all road rules for a month to see the police sweat it out when they wouldn't have that income.

 

[javacontour]

But if it take 100% of your time to generate the revenue. I think that's what they are getting at, not that they are generating too much revenue, but they are doing so at the expense of other police work.

TB

 

[mormit]

I figured that was common knowledge regarding Bel-Ridge. Just ask any current or former UMSL student.

 

[Shannow]

Australia is going one step further (well a few actually).

They are installing unmanned radar speed detection cameras, that snap your licence plate as you drive by.

You are then guilty until proven innocent. You pay the fine, or you go to court.

To further improve the success rate, the radar units have been declared scientific instruments, and unchallengeable.

Our state alone makes over $270 million through speed infringement notices.

 

[labman]

I know of one state where the state police have numerical goals on traffic tickets. To get a merit raise, officers must meet their goals. The state also held on to 55 on the interstates for a long time, and still continues it on all other highways including lightly traveled 4 lanes.

 

[cryptokid]

ins outh florida we have those video ticket things. a friend of mine mounted his liscence plate on a hinge and can lower it via small cable. this way when he passes one he can lower his plate and do a high speed flyby.

 

[Gary Allan]

I've known several officers, including a few from the Penna State Police. For them there was no "quota". Any pressure to write tickets was from your immediate sargent who noted that you hadn't written one in a week. Now a cop knows that even most cops can't drive for several hours without some traffic violation ..hence they can write tickets all day if they so desire. Inspection violations, lane change violations, following too close, too fast for conditions, etc. ...they can make a career of it. They are referred to as a "pinch" (a convenient sitting duck).

That is, no ticket in a week during normal patrol duty ..no accidents ..no criminal investigations ..no court appearances ...you were screwing off

 

[Forkman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gary Allan:
That is, no ticket in a week during normal patrol duty ..no accidents ..no criminal investigations ..no court appearances ...you were screwing off

---

I can understand that. But as far as traffic enforcement goes I'd like to see them spend more time cracking down on all boneheaded/crappy drivers instead of just concentrating on "those deadly speeders" who are going 30 in a 25. Start writing the people who don't understand the concept of a lane or how to stay in one. Fine the putz who doesn't understand the concept of signaling a turn (much less signaling far enough ahead of time to let traffic behind you and in front of you know what the **** is going on).

 

[Forkman]

quote:

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Originally posted by ryansride2017:
Seems like our local police are more motivated to generate revenue by issuing tickets compared to "protecting the public". When I see police hiding behind bushes with radar guns (there were actually two of them) its getting a little ridiculous.

---

Especially when you see an extrodianry amount of traffic enforcement but very little done to reduce serious crime. Here's a cut and paste of what happened to a coworker of mine about a month ago with our local police who are absolutely worthless... I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't criticize the local PD as being worthless, lazy, crooked etc.

quote:

---

Here's a perfect example that happened to my coworker on Sat. night.

Her husband dropped their 14y.o. son and 15y.o. daughter off at the bowling alley at around 8pm. He picked her up from work at 10pm and they headed to the bowling alley to pick up the kids.

When they arrived they discovered that about 20 min prior, their son and daughter had been [censored] by a 23y.o. drunk female at the bowling alley, who was apparently [censored] off about their "bowling ettiquette" or lack thereof. The son had claw marks down the side of his neck and her daughter had the beginings of a black eye.

The woman and her friends were still there. So my coworker called the police. The woman tried to leave. Her husband told her, she wasn't going anywhere and needed to wait till the cops arrived and if need be would place her under citizens arrest (perfectly legal in this state for anything aggravated misdemeanor and above). The woman backs off, talks with her friends they call someone on a cell phone and 15 minutes later make a break for the door - cops still haven't shown up yet despite being able to make it anywhere across town in 15min or less.

Co-worker, husband and children follow into the parking lot hoping to get a plate# and vehicle description. The woman and her friends run to their vehicle, but don't get inside. There is another still running Tahoe or Blazer parked behind the womans car. One guy gets out of the passenger seat and the woman yells, "That's him get that [censored]" pointing at the 14y.o. son (who btw actually looks to be at least 17 based on height and facial features).

The guy runs up and punches her son in the face twice knocking him on his *** . His father puts the guy in an arm lock with both hands over his head (think full-nelson type hold). At this point 4 more people pile out of the Blazer and proceed to beat the **** out of the father while his wife tries to stop it. One of them attacked him with some kind of weapon because he had a gash on his head by the time they were done and it sliced open my co-workers finger while she was trying to help her husband.

Sirens in the distance... the 5 guys in the Blazer bail. The woman and her friends bailed as well.

The cops show up and talk to her family and several witnesses including another co-worker of ours who had the day off and was there with his family.

What do the cops do? Absolutely [censored] NOTHING. When my co-worker demanded to press charges they told her, "No. Weren't not going to do anything about this... its all alcohol related."

She said to them "Excuse me? Alcohol related? My son and daugther are 14 and 15, and my husband hasn't been drinking. You think I've been drinking? I'm correctional officer who just got off work and am still in uniform and you think I've been drinking?" The cops looks at her and with a smug tone in his voice says, "So what."

Her husband asks one of the cops, "Well could you at least take a look at this" pointing to the wound on his head. Cops shine's light on the wound and says, "That's just a little bump. Get over it."

The cops then tell her and her husband, "You're lucky were not going to run you in for public intox and disturbing the peace. You folks need to leave now."

End results:
-No reports or witness statements taken
-Cops refuse to take plate number of both the Blazer and the womans car
-Cops are told by a witness exactly who the woman is and where she lives... they blow it off
-Coworker has cut on finger
-Husband has gash on head requiring 10 stitches in the ER
-Son has two black eyes and broken nose along with scratches on his neck
-Daughter has one black eye
Crimes committed:
-[censored] and battery on a minor X2
-Aggravated [censored] and battery on the husband

LOVELY ISN'T IT???

---

This happened about a month ago. The local PD is still stonewalling. The DA is looking into the matter. The state DCI (dept. of criminal investingation) is looking into the matter as well.

 

[needtoknow]

I know it hurts to have those radar/camera speed checks but when the tax payers are fighting every mention of more taxes and expecting the cops to fight more crime then the camera technology makes sense. You get more efficient results with less manpower, seems very private enterprise oriented.

 

[labman]

Why not raise the speed limit to where normal people drive? Cut government spending. Too much of it is spent on job killing bureaucracy.

 

[Asinine]

because cutting government spending wont help state and local governments... state and local govts are who write your tickets.

1) Federal funding to states and local govts has seriously dried up over the last three years. One side-effect of that is more traffic and parking tickets btw.

2) ANY cuts in police, fire, or EMT staff wont fly in Anytown, USA. This shouldn't need explanation.

3) Every time we jump to terror alert orange, it costs municipalities and agencies tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. Get ready to pay some more tickets.

 

[Matt_S]

quote:

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Originally posted by labman:
Why not raise the speed limit to where normal people drive?

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In my experience, people know exactly the speed they can drive without getting pulled over, which is usually some amount over the current speed limit. I've been told by a cop to keep it within 10 mph over the limit, which jives with the way people drive here. When they raised the speed limits in Michigan, people went from driving 55 + 10 or 65 mph to 70 + 10 or 80 mph. My point is that people will adjust their speed to the current speed limit and that raising the speed limit will raise peoples driving speeds.

 

[Whimsey]

My wife is a police dispatcher for a town in Northern NJ. The Town Committee has the right to fire "at will" the police chief. They are putting pressure on him to have the officers right more tickets for more town revenue. So since the chief wants to keep his job and he pressures the rest of the police department to right more tickets. And to add insult to injury for points on your driver's licence in NJ you have to pay an "insurance surcharge" and a driver's licence surcharge. I think this is for even as little as 2 points on your licence

!

Whimsey

 

[JohnnyO]

Forkman, yeah in my experience the cops can be there in a heartbeat if fine money is involved. Your case won't generate anything for the cops but paperwork and court time, time that would be better spent on a side street clocking people over the VASCAR lines.

IMO traffic citations have become a revenue source instead of law enforcement. Raising taxes, especially locally, is a pretty sure way to get un-elected.
Thing is, how much of a town's budget goes to pay extra officers whose main job is to write tickets to so the town can then pay the officers? A bit of circular reasoning if you catch my drift.
Little speedtrap town near here, Kilbuck Twp., PA, has about 120 residents and about 14 full- and part-time police officers whose main job is to write tickets for speeding and any little old thing they can find on people traveling the stretch of PA Rt. 65 that crosses the edge of their tiny burg.

I know somebody they gave a ticket to for an "Obstructed License Plate" when the only thing on their plate was the frame from the dealer that partially blocked the expiration sticker. Pretty much every town along Rt. 65 has a speedtrap but Kilbuck is by far the worst.

www.speedtrap.org has a fairly complete listing by state.

[ April 05, 2004, 11:34 AM: Message edited by: JohnnyO ]

 

[shortyb]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ryansride2017:
I would like to hear from some police officers on BITOG!! Seems like our local police are more motivated to generate revenue by issuing tickets compared to "protecting the public". When I see police hiding behind bushes with radar guns (there were actually two of them) its getting a little ridiculous. In a dreamworld it would be cool if everyone would follow all road rules for a month to see the police sweat it out when they wouldn't have that income.

---

I'd love to see them follow the rules just so I could attend to other service calls ("real" police work) or not have to work accidents.

I agree with Gary Allan's post about getting heat from your supervisor more than anyone else. It is a way of measuring job performance for us. I, however, prefer to show my "stats" in the form of resolved service calls, criminal arrests, successfully closed investigation and the positive impact I make on my employers (the taxpayers whom have entrusted me). I almost never write any CS traffic violations unless they are blatantly stupid or potentially dangerous, then I get on their A**.

I once got reprimended for not keeping my radar certification current. I had to remind my supervisor that it was more irrefutable in court if I conduct speed violations via pace, so as not to fall into the trap of "momentary inattention" that some defense lawyers like to use in radar cases. Also, its just a tool to help and is not totally infallable. I prefer to rely on whats upstairs to conduct business, I have fewer problems when I do.

I also like to be out there where the motoring public can see me. This is called "positive policing" as it generally gets folks to comply just by my mere presence. It also allows me to stay in touch, wave to the kids, help the stranded motorist, or shake my finger (index, not middle) at the occasional chagrined speeder as they pass me. Can't do that hiding behind a bush, shooting a beam.

I don't have to be a revenue gathering mechanism, I think the folks that pay my salary are doing so because they want to. They want to be safe in their homes, neigborhoods, schools and businesses. Our department has a great reputation for doing just that and the taxpayers give us a big slice of the budget pie a result. I just think some departments don't get it when it comes to this.

[ April 05, 2004, 07:42 PM: Message edited by: shortyb ]

 

[Forkman]

Here's another one for you Johnny. http://www.newromesucks.com/
I've looked into this before... its not just the website of someone with an axe to grind. I've checked it out and read much the same about the town in many newspaper articles about it along with info pulled off of USENET about it.

Corrupt local gov't abusing the power of the local PD for revenue generation.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

You do the uniform proud, shortyb.