Is it true that police officers have a actual "quota" amount for the number of tickets they have to pass out?

Godwillhealme

My husband has been a police officer for more than 7 years. I even helped him study while he was in the academy. Trust me when I tell you, there is no "quota". It's nothing but a rumor.

As for the amount of the speeding ticket. And frankly I'm surprised you were told. Why? Because telling someone the amount of a ticket can sometimes cause the officer more problems than it's worth. Anyways, that's not a quota either. I'm not 100% sure who sets the amount for tickets. But I've always thought that to be City Council. And not all of it goes to the Police Department. Some of it goes to Victim Assistance, some to the Public Defenders Office, and so on. Which is why tickets are usually so high.

Now about doing only 6 miles over the limit. The officer who gave you the ticket had one of two things going on. If he wasn't alone he could have been with one of his supervisors and had no choice. However, if he was along. Boyfriend was having a very bad day because depending upon the road conditions they'll usually give up to about 10 over the limit. That also depends on the flow of traffice and the weather too.

Steven C

See this is the problem with people these days. They think the police have nothing better to do then try to empty out a ticket book every month. No we don't have quotas we have to make.

Logic316

There is no official quota, but you could say there's a sort of de-facto quota. If a particular cop gives out less tickets on average than his coworkers, his supervisor's liable to pull him aside one day and ask him "So, have you been working very hard?"

Caninelegion

Never officially but lag behind the others and see who gets propmoted and who doesn't.

Problem Child

So, what your saying is they are making up the charges? Oh, they are not? Well then what does it matter if there is or isn't a quota? Bottom line, the people getting tickets still broke the law.
For the record A) Police depts don't set ticket amounts, elected officials set the fines.
B) They very rarely see any of the money. It usually goes to the state or local government and is used for anything.
Also, is it not the police's job to write tickets? As an employer, shouldn't the government expect the cops to ,now hold on to your hats..... actually do their job, which coincidentally, includes writing tickets??
Following the quota logic, I guess they shouldn't arrest to many murderers or rapists either. I mean do they just NEED to bust someone? Where would you like to draw the line?
Offenses you call "petty" often kill people. Speeding, running lights, reckless driving etc. Frequently people who commit larger crimes also have contempt for those pesky little ones.
Like the parking ticket that led to the arrest of the son of sam.
Like the improperly attached plate that captured Timothy McVeigh.
Like it or not, more people are killed in traffic accidents due to those "petty" offenses than people who are killed yearly by those big old offenses you think cops should really be after.

gomanyes562

Quotas for tickets are illegal in most states. However, police officers are going to get questioned by their supervisors if they aren't writing any tickets, because that indicates that they might be chilling in a parking lot their entire shift.

Police officers have nothing to do with the amount of the fine. The amount is determined by either state law or by a judge.

charlsyeh

there is no such thing as a quota. i have heard that my entire career and never had one. what will happen is that if a supervisor thinks more need to be written he will tell the officer. they will never say how many--retired texas deputy sheriff--

Copgirl

NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!! NO ONE has any type of quota!!! Its actually illegal to have quotas. Also, we don't set the amount of the ticket!! The state does!

slvrfox14

No. The officer doesn't get anything for giving out more or less tickets. Some departments have guidelines that say the officer will issue a summons for a certain offenses, and others give the officer more digression. In the town where I work it is largely discretionary for minor offenses such as speed, stop sign where no accident has occurred, but a small city 15 miles north of us has a policy that everyone going 10 or more mph over the limit gets a ticket.

Mutzie

A quota means or implies that there is a finite number of citations a police officer must write per month to maintain his job.

I worked for 11 years out of my 33 year career as a police officer assigned to traffic enforcement, heading a motorcycle unit. My immediate supervisor told me specifically (and I passed it on to many others, including our court system) that I did not have a quota, I could write as many citations as I wanted and didn't have to stop because I reached some magical number.

I did, however get a minor reprimand for telling a motorist (who later complained) that suggested I was only writing a citation because I had a quota to fill that she was absolutely right and with this citation to her I was going to win a brand new chrome plated toaster.

Some people just don't have a sense of humor.

bartzan41

There are many things that go into wether or not you get pulled over. Some of it is profiling. If you are driving a non-standard vehicle for instance. As in, tricked out, lowered, extra lights,etc, you will stand out. If you speed, you will get pulled over for a drug check, and if clean, just a ticket. There are actually ranking officers that will verbally say, go write tickets, that's the order of the day, don't ask, just do it. It does happen, though there is officialy and legaly no quota. This info comes from a small town, and may not apply to big cities.
( yeah, right...ever seen a cop pull over the out of state license plate so there is no court battle? )
All this being said, police officers are under paid and over worked. Most cops are just the next guy, and really try to do their job the best they can, and should have our thanks, not our anger over the ticket written because you broke the law!!

Belen

I heard that before.

JenH-RN

not in texas- there is no quota for tickets

Alright

I hear especially at the end of the month, and if they haven't hit the quota yet they start handing out tickets like crazy!

crazyjboy82

my uncle is tri-county DEA and everyone is not correct.
Yes there is a quota but not for each person it is for the dept.
And on top of that it is very low.
It depends on the number of people in the community.
As-well the # of people in the county and in the area.
there are a-lot of variables.
But yes there is a "qouta" I asked him.
crazyjboy82 from Georgia

El Scott

Nope no quota. Also, the cost of the citations are set by the courts/state not the officers.

Edit: I have been thinking about this one. I do wish the officers had the ability to put an extra fee on a citation for putting up with some of these motorists. We've all stopped them. The "I pay your salary" crowd that wants to know why you have the nerve to write them a ticket for speeding when there are drug dealers and murders out running around. That would be great.

wuxxler

First of all, there are no "petty" laws. Cops "need to bust" everyone who breaks the law. That's their job. It's what YOU pay them to do.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that it is illegal for any government agency (city, county, state, etc.) to put a quota on the number or dollar amount of tickets an officer must write.
Some places still do, though, and I have no idea how they get away with it.

Bob1239955

nope..they do not need to give any certain number of tickets to meet a "quota" that is myth. no percentage of the money from the ticket goes into the police officers pocket..if you got a ticket then it is because you committed a traffic violation...nothing more.

bob

Quota or no, it doesn't matter. I am tired of petty, heartless people in uniform, issuing needless citations, posturing themselves in condescending, confrontational interactions, extorting money from the very people who put food on their table. I pay taxes, thank you very much. I don't need to be harassed by a traffic cop at 1AM who has nothing better to do than waste my time and my money and piss me off. The last officer I interacted with was so rude he walked away from me while I was speaking to him. Human beings should not act that way. Officers are breaking laws all the time - laws of human decency, of the human heart. They do not care about people. They do not listen. Their modus operandi is: found petty offense, citation issued, aren't I proud of myself, where is the Dunkin' Donuts. I tell you truly, human interactions are more meaningful anywhere I go, with the least of whomever I meet, than with these pathetic, non-persons. Get a clue, you uniformed bozos. People do not need your grief. People have enough grief already.

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