WSB TV ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has obtained an email sent to Atlanta police that says traffic ticket money will fund future pay raises.
An Atlanta police source told Channel 2’s Amy Napier Viteri there are concerns that linking pay raises to tickets creates an indirect quota system, but the Mayor’s Office and the author of the email insist there’s no push to write more tickets.
The email from police union President Ken Allen explains future police pay raises will be funded through traffic tickets and court revenue. It comes on the heels of the passage of the city’s budget.
“The mayor has designated traffic court/ticket revenue for future pay increases … (This is) the first time ever that a revenue stream has been designated to salaries,” Allen told officers in the email. “Future pay increases are in our hands. We need only enforce traffic violations as we are now, but increase our attendance in court to prevent cases being dismissed.”
By phone, Allen told Viteri drivers cited for ticket offenses are slipping through the cracks.
“A bunch of people get out of legitimate traffic citations that have already been issued that are beating the system based on how the system is running,” Allen said.
A representative for the mayor’s office iterated sentiments about improving how the police department engages in traffic court, “especially regarding operations and the collections process … There is no push to increase revenues through the writing of additional tickets.”
But a police source told Viteri the plan could make officers work toward increasing citations, in hopes of a higher wage. Some drivers Viteri spoke to agree.
“I’m probably going to switch from sales and join the police force in that case, if that’s the way it’s working,” Ken Miller said.
Allen said enforcement of traffic laws won’t change.
An Atlanta police representative said the department has not issued any directive for officers to write more tickets, nor informed them ticket writing is directly tied to their compensation.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/apd-email-says-traffic-money-fund-future-pay-raise/nYRF4/
It looks like the only line of work that insures freedom from governmental harassment is to work directly for the govt.
Yep. My point taken. Read my comment below.
This seems to be how the Round Rock police do it.
““A bunch of people get out of legitimate traffic citations that have already been issued that are beating the system based on how the system is running,” Allen said.”
Uh-oh! I guess it’s time for the city to create and enforce more meaningless penis codes….I mean PENAL CODES! How else can they get any money off of us if We the people are waking up and knowing and enforcing our own rights? I’m fighting one right now.
I just had my court hearing today (for my interfering with a public servant bullshit charge) and found out that the DA of Williamson County was trying to also implicate me on possession of marijuana, in addition to my ridiculous charge and I have never smoked pot in my entire life and they never looked in my car nor did they even found marijuana in my car. I don’t even know what it smells like. And if they did find marijuana, it was either in their own minds or they put it there. These F**kers never give up.
And they STILL haven’t given my attorney the video files of what happened that day! How the hell am I supposed to defend myself if my attorney and I DON’T EVEN HAVE THE EVIDENCE OF WHAT THEY ARE CHARGING ME WITH????!!!! They keep throwing accusations and possible charges without any evidence. If that ain’t illegal, then I don’t know what is. And then they want to make a deal? Are you kidding me? NO DEAL!!! DROP THE F**KING CHARGES!! I did nothing but take my dog to the dog park and you didn’t even charge me for the reason why you pulled me over in the first place! You just keep throwing nonsense charges at me. I DID NOTHING WRONG!!!! ZERO!! ZILCH!! END OF STORY!!! YOU LOSE! I WIN!
But no, these guys are like demons who continue to look for something so they can get money out of you, even if it is bullshit. It’s like they are saying,
“Would you believe he had marijuana? No? Would you believe his dog bit my officer? No? Would you believe he was yelling too loud? No? Would you believe that my officer just didn’t like him? Yes? Good. There’s the charge $1500 take it or leave it.”
Meanwhile he’s probably thinking, “Damn! The things I have to do to get these officers raises.”
This is what the courts at Williamson County are like. Gestapo!
Well geeze NC, maybe you should smoke herb then if they are going to try and implicate ya. It is better for ya than alcohol if it is good herb, and it is medicinal – atleast for me it is anyway. Just a thought buddy. 🙂
Well everyone has heard of quotas for officers ticketing drivers and of course we’ve all heard the police deny it.
Then there’s this, Tucson police department ANNOUNCE quota!
http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/21750888/new-tpd-policy-means-more-traffic-tickets-for-tucson