Beware Ft Worth police quota time

[Colyn]

Got a ticket today by a Ft Worth police officer for no front license plate. My front and rear plates are clearly visible and mounted properly but she copped (no pun intended) an attitude when I asked why she was pulling me over..

Then she threatened to arrest me when I refused to sign the citation...

It's that time of the month to make quota........

[jeffro20]

I'm confused....how do you get a ticket as you describe if your front plate is proper?

[dbphotos]

First, despite rumors there are no "quotas", 2nd she is correct if you refuse to sign the citation you go to jail. That is why right on the citation it says by signing you are not admitting guilt but promising to appear at the date and time specified.

As far as the citation, if you really do have a front license plate instlled correctly and that is what the citation is for you could have done a couple of things; take a photo of your vehicle at the time and location of the stop (assuming you have a cell phone with camera or a camera), ask to have a supervisor respond to the scene of the traffic stop or you coul drive directly to the police department and speak with a supervisor and show them you do in fact have a plate. Armed with that knowledge you can either get the supervisor to deal with it right there or at least have the facts and names ready for court.

Don't forget that if the officer put on their lights then the stop is being recorded and so is the discussion about whether you have a plate or not. That can be used in court by your or the officer to support either side's story. What did the officer say to you when you said you had a front license plate? Did you both look at the front of your vehicle to confirm?

If you really were unjustified in getting the citation, then fight it. I'm thinking there is more to this story than what we are being told.

Let the flaming begin with all those who think they are experts!

[Colyn]

Originally Posted by jeffro20

I'm confused....how do you get a ticket as you describe if your front plate is proper?

Because she claimed she was unable to see it when she passed me going the opposite direction and I asked her if she was blind....and.....as stated in the title it's quota time..

I live in West Fort Worth where you don't have to do anything wrong to get pulled over...

[Todd Lambert]

Probably didn't have a license plate frame on it. You know, the stupid plastic frame that the plate sits in?

I've seen/heard others that have gotten similar citations in the past (although not here, in California)

I have to say, since I am new to the area, I feel it is very similar in some ways to Southern California when it comes to Police. Where I was previously, you had to literally hit a cop to get one to stop you. Not the same here, and it reminds me very much of California where cops cite for stupid things like license plate frames, cracked tail lights, etc..

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.

[kamekaze]

Originally Posted by Colyn

Got a ticket today by a Ft Worth police officer for no front license plate. My front and rear plates are clearly visible and mounted properly but she copped (no pun intended) an attitude when I asked why she was pulling me over..

Then she threatened to arrest me when I refused to sign the citation...

It's that time of the month to make quota........

Sounds like you got stopped by an officer in a bad mood. FYI: The police have every right to arrest you for not signing the ticket, signing is just agreeing to appear in court for the ticket, if you don't agree to it the officer can take you to jail to deal with a magistrate instead.

[Hogleg 44]

I was pulled over in Grapevine by a female officer once and given a warning because she said my plate was dirty!!! True, the car really needed a washing, but the lettering and reflective background on the plate was very clearly visible, and not hidden by anything grungy at all.
I guess she was having one of those really bad PMS type days..............!

[Colyn]

Originally Posted by dbphotos

First, despite rumors there are no "quotas", 2nd she is correct if you refuse to sign the citation you go to jail. That is why right on the citation it says by signing you are not admitting guilt but promising to appear at the date and time specified.

Not according to Internal Affairs.

I've already filed a complaint with IA and the issue will be resolved..

Originally Posted by dbphotos

As far as the citation, if you really do have a front license plate instlled correctly and that is what the citation is for you could have done a couple of things; take a photo of your vehicle at the time and location of the stop (assuming you have a cell phone with camera or a camera), ask to have a supervisor respond to the scene of the traffic stop or you coul drive directly to the police department and speak with a supervisor and show them you do in fact have a plate. Armed with that knowledge you can either get the supervisor to deal with it right there or at least have the facts and names ready for court.

Did all this. The supervisor though says he cannot void the citation and recommended I contact IA which I did..

Originally Posted by dbphotos

Don't forget that if the officer put on their lights then the stop is being recorded and so is the discussion about whether you have a plate or not. That can be used in court by your or the officer to support either side's story.

Already asked for a review of the tape..

Originally Posted by dbphotos

What did the officer say to you when you said you had a front license plate? Did you both look at the front of your vehicle to confirm?

She told me not to get smart with her or she'd arrest me.. Two times she threatened to arrest me..

She would not go around front and look..

Originally Posted by dbphotos

If you really were unjustified in getting the citation, then fight it. I'm thinking there is more to this story than what we are being told.

A ticket for no license plate when I and another officer verified it was there so what more is there??

On top of it all she couldn't even get the violation code correct..
No front LP violation code: 7003 Violation code should have been 7002
and according to IA her ID No. listed on the citation does not match up with her name.. I was asked 4 times to verify her name/ID No.

[Colyn]

Originally Posted by kamekaze

Sounds like you got stopped by an officer in a bad mood.

I've been driving since 1966 and have never gotten a ticket till today nor have I ever encountered an officer like this one.. According to her super this is only her 3rd week on patrol on her own..

Originally Posted by kamekaze

FYI: The police have every right to arrest you for not signing the ticket, signing is just agreeing to appear in court for the ticket, if you don't agree to it the officer can take you to jail to deal with a magistrate instead.

The ticket is unsigned and I have not been arrested yet..

I guess that means I don't get free room and board with bread and water..

[kamekaze]

Originally Posted by Colyn

The ticket is unsigned and I have not been arrested yet..

I guess that means I don't get free room and board with bread and water..

I said they have the right to arrest you, not that they have to

[Colyn]

Originally Posted by kamekaze

I said they have the right to arrest you, not that they have to

She would have had her super not stepped in..

As I said above I have never encountered an officer with this kind of attitude.

[jgrindal]

Plead Not Guilty. Go Home. Stop Complaining.

[Colyn]

Originally Posted by jgrindal

Plead Not Guilty. Go Home. Stop Complaining.

I'm not going to court...no need to plead either way...

No violation has been committed...

The citation is going to be voided tomorrow..

[CallMeAl]

The days of an officer voiding a citation are long gone. In my department, once a citation has been written the only way it can be dismissed is for the officer to write a memo to the chief requesting that it be dismissed and he will (can) make the request to the court. Doesn't mean that the officer in question couldn't have done that in this situation. One thing everyone needs to keep in mind is is that there are two sides to every story...and somewhere in the middle is the real truth. Cops aren't perfect and neither is every driver on the road. Luckily you have a method to address the citation and the behavior of the officer. Good luck.

[Todd Lambert]

Good points, Craig.

Most cops are great people, that I've ever met or known. There are few bad ones, but that is the case with anything.

They're also people too and have bad days just like the rest of us.

I've always been told that once the citation is started, you're finished... so if you have an argument to make, make it before that citation gets ink on it.

8-)