Report: LA police officers who alleged ticket quota system win $2M judgment
04-12-11, 01:16 PM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Report: LA police officers who alleged ticket quota system win $2M judgment
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/12/r...ta-system-win/
For the average motorist, dealing with law enforcement usually amounts trying to get out of a traffic citation. So it's understandable that we sometimes are less than thrilled to see them on our roads. But keep in mind that the police are the first responders whenever there is trouble, and the men and women in blue are looking out for our best interests more than many of us realize.
Case in point? Los Angeles police officers Howard Chan and David Benioff sued the city for instituting a ticket quota system (we knew it!). According to the Los Angeles Times, the officers alleged that they were instructed to write up 18 tickets each per shift. And not just any ticket – we're talking high-dollar offenses like blowing stop signs and other major moving violations.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the officers won their civil case by an 11-1 vote and were awarded a $2 million judgment due to a loss of reputation and work actions that resulted from the officers' refusal to meet that quota. Gregory Smith, Benioff's lawyer, says that he hopes the decision helps eradicate quotas, adding that the practice is "a direct violation of the vehicle code and this case was about these officers being asked to break the law."
The city's defense was that the department had broad goals for tickets, but only to improve safety and decrease fatalities. Former LAPD Commander Paul Kim tells a different story, testifying that weather, paramedic response times and the price of gas were more likely more significant reasons for traffic deaths. Hat tip to Bo!
For the average motorist, dealing with law enforcement usually amounts trying to get out of a traffic citation. So it's understandable that we sometimes are less than thrilled to see them on our roads. But keep in mind that the police are the first responders whenever there is trouble, and the men and women in blue are looking out for our best interests more than many of us realize.
Case in point? Los Angeles police officers Howard Chan and David Benioff sued the city for instituting a ticket quota system (we knew it!). According to the Los Angeles Times, the officers alleged that they were instructed to write up 18 tickets each per shift. And not just any ticket – we're talking high-dollar offenses like blowing stop signs and other major moving violations.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the officers won their civil case by an 11-1 vote and were awarded a $2 million judgment due to a loss of reputation and work actions that resulted from the officers' refusal to meet that quota. Gregory Smith, Benioff's lawyer, says that he hopes the decision helps eradicate quotas, adding that the practice is "a direct violation of the vehicle code and this case was about these officers being asked to break the law."
The city's defense was that the department had broad goals for tickets, but only to improve safety and decrease fatalities. Former LAPD Commander Paul Kim tells a different story, testifying that weather, paramedic response times and the price of gas were more likely more significant reasons for traffic deaths. Hat tip to Bo!
04-12-11, 01:27 PM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
We have heard about these quotas for decades but they have always denied it. Something should be done for the motorists that have been subjected to the ticket quotas.
04-12-11, 01:27 PM
#5
What is the the difference between quota's and performance objectives?
Is it not unrealistic that in a job where you are evaluated on how you perform that job that you have a minimum standard for performance? We forget that a cops main job is the make arrest or issue citations to people that are in violation of a law.
There is a difference between a cop going out and writing a bogus summons than a cop going out and writing valid summonses to show they are doing their job. There's also a difference in a cop just pulling you over for no reason and checking to see how many tickets he can get off you. But if you get stopped for speeding while having illegal tint and are lowered beyond regulation (damn I just described my car), then how is the 'quota' system at fault for that?
There's a big quota push back going on here in NYC too and I don't get it. Quota's are fine. There needs to be a system to root out lazy cops who do anything at all costs to meet them.
Is it not unrealistic that in a job where you are evaluated on how you perform that job that you have a minimum standard for performance? We forget that a cops main job is the make arrest or issue citations to people that are in violation of a law.
There is a difference between a cop going out and writing a bogus summons than a cop going out and writing valid summonses to show they are doing their job. There's also a difference in a cop just pulling you over for no reason and checking to see how many tickets he can get off you. But if you get stopped for speeding while having illegal tint and are lowered beyond regulation (damn I just described my car), then how is the 'quota' system at fault for that?
There's a big quota push back going on here in NYC too and I don't get it. Quota's are fine. There needs to be a system to root out lazy cops who do anything at all costs to meet them.
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04-12-11, 02:11 PM
#9
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Thread Starter
04-12-11, 04:14 PM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
What is the the difference between quota's and performance objectives?
Is it not unrealistic that in a job where you are evaluated on how you perform that job that you have a minimum standard for performance? We forget that a cops main job is the make arrest or issue citations to people that are in violation of a law.
There is a difference between a cop going out and writing a bogus summons than a cop going out and writing valid summonses to show they are doing their job. There's also a difference in a cop just pulling you over for no reason and checking to see how many tickets he can get off you. But if you get stopped for speeding while having illegal tint and are lowered beyond regulation (damn I just described my car), then how is the 'quota' system at fault for that?
There's a big quota push back going on here in NYC too and I don't get it. Quota's are fine. There needs to be a system to root out lazy cops who do anything at all costs to meet them.
Is it not unrealistic that in a job where you are evaluated on how you perform that job that you have a minimum standard for performance? We forget that a cops main job is the make arrest or issue citations to people that are in violation of a law.
There is a difference between a cop going out and writing a bogus summons than a cop going out and writing valid summonses to show they are doing their job. There's also a difference in a cop just pulling you over for no reason and checking to see how many tickets he can get off you. But if you get stopped for speeding while having illegal tint and are lowered beyond regulation (damn I just described my car), then how is the 'quota' system at fault for that?
There's a big quota push back going on here in NYC too and I don't get it. Quota's are fine. There needs to be a system to root out lazy cops who do anything at all costs to meet them.
yeah but we also dont want overzealous cops ticketing people unreasonably
04-12-11, 07:39 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
What is the the difference between quota's and performance objectives?
Is it not unrealistic that in a job where you are evaluated on how you perform that job that you have a minimum standard for performance? We forget that a cops main job is the make arrest or issue citations to people that are in violation of a law.
There is a difference between a cop going out and writing a bogus summons than a cop going out and writing valid summonses to show they are doing their job. There's also a difference in a cop just pulling you over for no reason and checking to see how many tickets he can get off you. But if you get stopped for speeding while having illegal tint and are lowered beyond regulation (damn I just described my car), then how is the 'quota' system at fault for that?
There's a big quota push back going on here in NYC too and I don't get it. Quota's are fine. There needs to be a system to root out lazy cops who do anything at all costs to meet them.
Is it not unrealistic that in a job where you are evaluated on how you perform that job that you have a minimum standard for performance? We forget that a cops main job is the make arrest or issue citations to people that are in violation of a law.
There is a difference between a cop going out and writing a bogus summons than a cop going out and writing valid summonses to show they are doing their job. There's also a difference in a cop just pulling you over for no reason and checking to see how many tickets he can get off you. But if you get stopped for speeding while having illegal tint and are lowered beyond regulation (damn I just described my car), then how is the 'quota' system at fault for that?
There's a big quota push back going on here in NYC too and I don't get it. Quota's are fine. There needs to be a system to root out lazy cops who do anything at all costs to meet them.
