case dismissed

[Marswolf]

Dave, I know a lot about cops and quotas of moving and non-moving violations on a shift. In Johnson City it's four of each per shift for example. It's done for revenue, not safety. The money does eventually come back to the departments indirectly.

And I have very informed conversations, not to mention lunch, with top LE people in the region on a frequent basis.

A year or two ago, the state had to take away Unicoi County's receipt of money they made on I-26 folks coming from North Carolina because it was like the old fashioned speed traps that counties did in the 50s to raise revenue. It got to be an embarrassment to the whole state. Dare County, NC did it to raise money for their school system in the 70s when I was there. That's why we have so many caught speeders - revenue enhancement.

It's an old practice. In the mid 70s NC Highway Patrol officers would sit down with their commanders once a month and the commander would write down a number on the pad in front of him and circle it repeatedly. That number was your quota of traffic stops for the month, but nothing was ever said about it. Plausible deniablility that way. "Why we never talk about traffic stop quotas."

Maybe Macho will drop in here and tell you about the clowns in Lee County Virginia law enforcement.

The practice actually takes time from real law enforcement and degrades the image of Law Enforcement.

[DaveTN]

Oh...I’m not denying there are quotas. It really seems to upset some people that a department would admit to it, but the Command Officers at the department I worked at never denied it. 100 tickets a month for a traffic car and 10 tickets a month for a district car.

I worked as a traffic Officer for two years and then trained other Officers for a year before I had enough seniority to get in a district car. I have been in shootings and don’t have nightmares from those, but I still do have from working traffic.

I can assure you that you are in more danger from a traffic offender than you are from a “real†criminal.

[towerclimber37]

Cops don’t make any money off tickets (except those that rack up the court overtime) it goes to the city, county and state governments.

I know that in Florida and other states, a portion of the money made from state troopers' tickets go into the pension fund for their troopers..you mean to say that that sort of practice doesn't go on here in Tn?

I agree that traffic offenders need to be policed...but using it for a revenue is a pretty crappy way to do things. its armed extortion in my opinion..and I don't really care how you flour it up..its still fried crap at the end of the day.

instead of raising property taxes how about we cut out some of the pork barrel politics?

[DaveTN]

I know that in Florida and other states, a portion of the money made from state troopers' tickets go into the pension fund for their troopers..you mean to say that that sort of practice doesn't go on here in Tn?

I don’t know, are you saying that the dollar amount in the pension fund is based on the number of tickets written? I know a Florida Trooper I’ll ask him.

I agree that traffic offenders need to be policed...but using it for a revenue is a pretty crappy way to do things. its armed extortion in my opinion..and I don't really care how you flour it up..its still fried crap at the end of the day.

Putting Traffic Officers in fully equipped squad cars is a big cost; you would rather have than cost added to your property taxes instead of letting the offenders pay it?

Now keep in mind, I’m talking about the normal traffic patrol functions of a normal Police department; not the wild azz stories about some small town speed trap that is supporting their city with traffic tickets. I rarely see Murfreesboro cops or Rutherford County Deputies running radar or making traffic stops.

instead of raising property taxes how about we cut out some of the pork barrel politics?

Absolutely! How about we reduce the size of government in general. Manufacturing is leaving at an alarming rate; jobs are cut and wages are being reduced. Is the size or budgets of government being reduced…. No.

The more our economy weakens and the more jobs we lose, the more Police Officers we will need. Any way they can find to not put that burden on the taxpayer is okay with me. Raise speeding tickets to $1000… I don’t care.

[Marswolf]

I understand your point Dave. Actually, my wife agrees with you. I would call you a girly-man for agreeing with her, but you are probably a better shot than I am.

I think LE should be considered a professional position and staffed (and paid) appropriately. Making revenue stops degrades the profession of Law Enforcement in my eyes and I think in the eyes of the general public. Stopping people who are not realistically being unsafe does not add to the image of LEOs as professionals IMHO and has the effect of keeping salaries low.

I'd rather pay an extra nickel per hundred on my taxes and not have to worry about speed traps. Hell, it would bring in tourist dollars. Advertise that you don't do speed traps in your county. It would be like Bristol during race weekends. You have to be weaving over the median to get a DUI during a couple of weeks of the year there. And that's for reasons of revenue enhancement ignoring public safety.

[towerclimber37]

hah! good turn about Mars...and very true! I didn't think of that because I don't drink and drive and don't know too many LEOS to hear the stories.

[Guest Phantom6]

I understand your point Dave. Actually, my wife agrees with you. I would call you a girly-man for agreeing with her, but you are probably a better shot than I am.

Making revenue stops degrades the profession of Law Enforcement in my eyes and I think in the eyes of the general public. Stopping people who are not realistically being unsafe does not add to the image of LEOs as professionals IMHO and has the effect of keeping salaries low.

Yup, quotas and revenue stops suck.

It would be like Bristol during race weekends.

What, left turns at 200 mph?

Just kidding. I get your point. I just couldn't pass it up.