Beware Ft Worth police quota time

[pcdeatherage]

Originally Posted by Colyn

...And I asked her if she was blind....

perhaps if you would have shown her a little more respect she would have returned the favor...

I learned at an early age that there are two people you do not BS and be careful what you say - cops and the IRS ...very simply, they have the power to do pretty much what the heck they want. Sure it may not be right at the time and may be corrected in the long run, but at the time, they can sure ruin your day...it's best to mind your manners.

p.

[ldelacruz]

My smart mouth got my friend a ticket for no front plate when he clearly had one along with no seatbelt or tail light. It took 3 false citations to keep me quiet!

[tech1961]

I love it when the cops are giving tickets to soccer moms for doing 5 miles an hour over the limit and the gangs are shooting up the shopping mall right around the corner. They want respect then do something for our communities safety and quit harrassing people over crap.

[jeffkohn]

Originally Posted by tech1961

I love it when the cops are giving tickets to soccer moms for doing 5 miles an hour over the limit and the gangs are shooting up the shopping mall right around the corner. They want respect then do something for our communities safety and quit harrassing people over crap.

Exaggerate much?

I find your post especially strange since you apparently live in Houston. Police don't seem to write nearly as many traffic tickets here as up in the D/FW area from what I've seen.

[tech1961]

Originally Posted by jeffkohn

Exaggerate much?

I find your post especially strange since you apparently live in Houston. Police don't seem to write nearly as many traffic tickets here as up in the D/FW area from what I've seen.

I work and have family in the Sugarland area and if you watch the news you would know exactly what I am talking about. So don't find it so strange.

[CallMeAl]

Originally Posted by tech1961

I love it when the cops are giving tickets to soccer moms for doing 5 miles an hour over the limit and the gangs are shooting up the shopping mall right around the corner. They want respect then do something for our communities safety and quit harrassing people over crap.

A lot of the guys writing tickets are there working under a federally funded grant to enforce traffic laws. They are working OT and are not going to be answering calls. Tickets quotas are not a fact of life...they are illegal. A lot of what people think are departmental quotas are more than likely a self set quota that the officer applies to himself. Set by what he thinks he should do if he's doing his job. The soccer mom going 5 miles an hour over the limit is no big deal, unless she runs over and kills your child. The fact is, all crime is a big deal and a lot of effort is made in the application of manpower to address all the crime issues in a community to provide the greatest level of protection to its citizens.

I've arrested hundreds of people over my career and 99.9 % of them think I should have been out arresting "real criminals." This was coming from admitted rapists, assault suspects, robbery suspects, etc. The reality is that although people don't like being stopped for traffic offenses. More burglars, dopers, etc are caught during traffic offenses than caught in the act of burglary, etc. That's the reality.

This doesn't excuse bad and unprofessional behavior by an officer. But if you don't think you're guilty...file a complaint (like the OP did) or go to court that's the way the system works.

[KD5NRH]

Originally Posted by CallMeAl

More burglars, dopers, etc are caught during traffic offenses than caught in the act of burglary, etc. That's the reality.

The reality is that if you'd spend more time looking for them in the act you wouldn't have to come up with an excuse like that.

If you spent all your time going after people who have green shoes on, more criminals would be caught during green shoe stops than anywhere else. That doesn't mean that checking everybody's shoe color is some vital service to the community.

[crazeazn]

Hopefully the issue will be resolved. When I went to school in Dallas, I received speeding tickets in Plano, Richardson, Dallas, Irving, Arlington and Carrollton... maximum being 8 or 9 mph over the limit. Needless to say I brought alot of revenue. My worst experience was with Plano police where I was pulled over for speeding (which I was doing). I recieved a ticket for speeding and a ticket for failure to change driver's license to Dallas address when I gave him my Dallas mailing addres for him to send. I politely explained to him that I was a full time student but he wouldnt have it. I had to pay about $500 dollars FIRST for speeding and failure to change license then schedule a court date to argue about the change-license ticket. I got my money back though after arguing with the prosecutor who wouldnt believe that my student ID was proof enough that I was a student....asinine.

[ka5txl]

Originally Posted by Todd Lambert

It is rather odd though, that you can get cited for not having a stupid plastic frame, yet you can ride around on your motorcycle without a helmet. That was rather a shock for me the first few times I saw people sans a helmet. Having been so used to seeing them everywhere else.

It's not odd at all since the Texas Legislature said a few years ago that you don't need to wear a helmet in the state of Texas. It's called freedom to make wise or unwise decisions Now don't get caught riding your schwinn bike around the streets of Dallas sans helmet but on your Harley your ok

[revjvegas]

In my past, I have never gotten a ticket from a Law Enforcement Officer I did not earn.

Having known a few LEO's, I can say they are some of the better people I've ever talked to. These are people willing to put their life on the line every day to help keep our communities a little safer.

Officers, Firemen/women, EMTs, Soldiers, etc are typically not doing that job for the money and I think are deserving of a little respect.

That's just my .02

[ka5txl]

Of course in Dallas County the constables are quickly becoming revenue agents for the county. That is when some of them aren't driving seized cars with questionable titles

[Jeff_Green]

Originally Posted by KD5NRH

The reality is that if you'd spend more time looking for them in the act you wouldn't have to come up with an excuse like that.

If you spent all your time going after people who have green shoes on, more criminals would be caught during green shoe stops than anywhere else. That doesn't mean that checking everybody's shoe color is some vital service to the community.

Really? This is the best that you can come up with?

We need to have every police officer on the force, drive from bank to bank, gas station to gas station, jewelry store to jewelry store, pawn shop to pawn shop, etc... yeah, that would really make a difference, just having them look for crime being committed. Guess what? When you speed, when you run a red light, when you follow too close you are breaking the law... to make it simple for you, YOU COMMIT A CRIME!

[CallMeAl]

Originally Posted by KD5NRH

The reality is that if you'd spend more time looking for them in the act you wouldn't have to come up with an excuse like that.

If you spent all your time going after people who have green shoes on, more criminals would be caught during green shoe stops than anywhere else. That doesn't mean that checking everybody's shoe color is some vital service to the community.

What is your "reality" based on? Mine is based on 21 years as a police officer. It's not an excuse, it's a fact. Although there are times you can be in the right place at the right time to catch a burglar in the act, the vast majority of burglars are caught because they are identified based on the evidence recovered during the investigation, a warrant is obtained and they are ultimately caught when stopped for a "minor" traffic violation and are identified and the warrant is confirmed.

Many people have a distorted view of crime and what occurs during the commission of an offense. Most criminal offenses take very little time to commit. Robberies, burglaries, etc occurring in less than two minutes are quite common.

While an officer is on patrol, it's mostly answering calls for service and in between, maintaining high visibility patrol and at times dedicated traffic enforcement in which the primary objective is enforcing traffic laws. At those times, it's usually during school zones and high accident locations. High visibility patrol deters crime and allows the officer to look for those crimes in progress which are very rarely seen.

I've suggested it numerous times on this forum. If you want to know more about your local police department and what is involved in law enforcement, attend one of the citizen police academies that so many agencies have. You might even enjoy it.

[tech1961]

Originally Posted by Jeff_Green

Really? This is the best that you can come up with?

We need to have every police officer on the force, drive from bank to bank, gas station to gas station, jewelry store to jewelry store, pawn shop to pawn shop, etc... yeah, that would really make a difference, just having them look for crime being committed. Guess what? When you speed, when you run a red light, when you follow too close you are breaking the law... to make it simple for you, YOU COMMIT A CRIME!

Yeah and I feel much better when they catch that speeding soccer Mom. That will teach her not speed 5 miles an hour over the limit you law breaking soccer mom you. Heck she was probably in a hurry to get home and watch the news to see who got shot or carjacked in her neighborhood today. You hear that you soccer moms. YOU COMMIT A CRIME!

[ldelacruz]

Exactly why I won't let my kids play soccer! My wife commiting crimes and getting tickets would cost me time and money!