Speaking of Crime & Traffic Tickets.

[BernieP]

Searching for the link to a story I read over the weekend.
Not sure if it was just one, or more, police officers were fired in Dallas over writing fraudulent tickets.
Apparently they would pull a driver over for some routine "traffic enforcement" - your taillight is out, then enter their data into the system for a slew of other tickets.

A couple of take aways, it was fairly easy to do and shows how the system can be manipulated. It was only uncovered because one of those who received all those fines was a relative of a police official (i.e. a higher up). The chief of police stated the Dallas no longer used ticket quotas as a measure of performance, i.e. there was no quota. He did admit it hurt to get rid of that as the city had become to dependent on the money. So if you think traffic tickets are just for safety, think again, they can be and are a source of significant revenue for some communities, even a city like Dallas.
The allegation against the officer is that he was using the tickets to cover up his lack of patrolling his district. He was fired.

 

[awpitt]

Sounds like it was a good thing that the police officer(s) got fired.

As to the notion the ticket writing is used as a money maker..... All drivers have one simple solution that will them from being part of the money making machine.

 

[BernieP]

Sounds like it was a good thing that the police officer(s) got fired.

As to the notion the ticket writing is used as a money maker..... All drivers have one simple solution that will them from being part of the money making machine.

I think you missed the part about being pulled over for a traffic stop, like your taillight is out, then using the information from the warning they wrote tickets. I sure hope you are the perfect driver and don't get caught not coming to a complete stop, even if it's a right turn on red.

 

[awpitt]

I think you missed the part about being pulled over for a traffic stop, like your taillight is out, then using the information from the warning they wrote tickets. I sure hope you are the perfect driver and don't get caught not coming to a complete stop, even if it's a right turn on red.

No I didn't miss that part. I can't say I'm a perfect driver but I am cognizant of the things that do draw attention which is why I try to follow the rules. Things like coming to a complete stop at a right turn on red.

 

[Gilligan]

I think you missed the part about being pulled over for a traffic stop, like your taillight is out,

I was pulled over on RT 4S one very early Saturday morning at about 1 am, coming home from BWI. My license plate light was out...but the cop that pulled me over was all on about only one thing; he obviously wanted a DUI bust and got visibly agitated when it became apparent he'd wasted the stop and wasn't going to achieve his goal. Wrote me a repair order for the tag light. Just as he was pulling back out in traffic, I smacked the light with my hand and it came on. LOL.

 

[BernieP]

I was pulled over on RT 4S one very early Saturday morning at about 1 am, coming home from BWI. My license plate light was out...but the cop that pulled me over was all on about only one thing; he obviously wanted a DUI bust and got visibly agitated when it became apparent he'd wasted the stop and wasn't going to achieve his goal. Wrote me a repair order for the tag light. Just as he was pulling back out in traffic, I smacked the light with my hand and it came on. LOL.

I got pulled over on 235, not that late, but after dark - tail lights were too dim. The bulbs were fine, just the car is old and the lenses are a bit weathered. Had to go buy extra bright bulbs ($$). But the bottom line is he got license, registration and proof of insurance and excuse to eyeball me and the car for any signs.
In Dallas what the cops were doing was taking that data and later inserting additional citations into the system.
Because the system is rigged in the state's favor, most people don't waste their time or breath going to court, they just pay the ticket.
Rigged in that friend got tickets for an accident, the state can't prove it's claim because while on face it looked like impaired driving, multiple tests later showed no impairment. What looked like reckless driving was bad tire and hydroplaning. Bottom line, court dates have come and gone, cop didn't show up, so the state got an automatic reschedule, cop didn't show again, another date, always when the cop is scheduled for his day in court.
If he gets tired of running to court, and paying his lawyer to run to court, the state would probably be more than happy to settle on the fines.

Same game is played in other states. You have to show up in district justices office, plead guilty and pay fine or have a hearing, at which time you will be found guilty. Local cops there like to play games where the speed limit drops and it's not very visible. State trooper (retired) didn't approved of it and actually showed me his motor vehicle regulations and said you could challenge most tickets because roads are not properly marked.
Problem is, the district justice isn't going to hear a word you say before he says guilty. You can appeal to commonwealth court (a real judge) if you pay your fines and post bond. Now you are taking not hours but days off from work and playing the continuance game. Most judges won't toss a case of the police don't show up, they will grant the state a continuance.
This duffass just made the mistake of pulling his game on the wrong person. Most people would have paid the bill when it came in the mail, just to avoid the hassle, but she had a relative on the force and knowing she hadn't been told of the other violations, contracted her relative.