Federal
Gas Tax Money Fuels Ticket Quotas Nationwide
Law enforcement agencies across the country
are encouraged to write tickets
with prizes paid for by federal gas tax dollars.
The National
Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA) diverts federal gas tax revenue
to offer incentives for local police to increase the number of traffic tickets
written. In South Carolina, for example, the state police on Tuesday presented
six new, fully-equipped police cruisers to local agencies with the best traffic
citation performance.
A NHTSA grant paid for the Dodge Chargers as well as the other gifts and
prizes offered. Although organizers assert that the incentive program is
solely motivated by safety, the South Carolina celebration was held just
two days after one
of the state's most deadly travel weekends in recent memory. Overall this
year, traffic fatalities stand at 987 this year,
up from 974 in the first eleven months of 2006.
The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) likewise participates
in the NHTSA-funded National Law Enforcement
Challenge. Last month, it chose to hand the departments with the most high-profile
ticketing efforts either a Harley Davidson Road King motorcycle or a Dodge
Magnum with a police pursuit package that includes
"a HEMI engine with cold air induction and a Borla exhaust system." Local
agencies work hard to earn these prizes.
"When we first announced this custom-equipped car at the Governor's Challenge
event in September, we had a standing-room-only
crowd straining to see the pursuit vehicle," GOHS Deputy Director Spencer
Moore said.
Agencies must provide National Law Enforcement Challenge Award review panels
with ticket counts for their application to be
complete. An agency will lose points if it fails to mention that it operates
a "zero tolerance" no-warning policy.
Educational efforts and new training methods can also earn rewards, but it
is clear from the sampling of 2004 and 2005 winners
listed below that coming up with a new way to ticket motorists in a covert
fashion is the most common way to earn a department
a new police cruiser:
- "Police
officers dress as Santa Claus in Moreno Valley, California to work crosswalks
near schools." Those who drive too closely to Santa get a ticket.
- Florida Highway Patrol's "Operation Hardhat" used police disguised
as highway workers to issue tickets.
- Kissimmee and Osceola County, Florida police "use patrol officers
dressed as tourists, homeless people, bucket truck operators and disabled
motorists to catch violators with radar."
- Caledonia, Vermont sheriff's office "hands out packages of mini
donuts to motorists" who wear seatbelts when approaching a ticketing roadblock.
- On "Maroon Day" every single member of the Minnesota State Patrol,
regardless of rank or duty, is required to issue traffic tickets.
- Arizona state police became "certified" in the use of force to
draw blood from motorists suspected of DUI on the side of the road.
- "Utilizing an unmarked van equipped with speed measurement devices,
camera equipment and interactive computers, a Maryland Trooper covertly documents
violations."
- San Carlos, California sets up the neighborhood "pace car" program
where citizen participants pledge to block any traffic attempting to drive
over the speed limit.
- Colorado Springs, Colorado police set up roadblocks to ticket
motorists who choose not to or neglect to wear a seatbelt.
- Atlanta, Georgia is rewarded for using aircraft to write "zero
tolerance" speeding tickets and Fairfax, Virginia for setting up roadblocks.
- Sixty-five Washington DC area agencies won for the "Smooth Operator"
ticketing blitz.
- Stafford County, Virginia created "enhanced fine" zones for greater
ticketing revenue.
- Burlington, Vermont handed citizens radar guns so they can issue
warning notices to their neighbors.
- Fort Campbell, Kentucky police officers receive commander coins
for making "an extra effort in enforcement." The coin can be turned in for
a free day off.
- Washington state police used five fixed-wing Cessnas to write
speeding tickets.
- DeKalb County, Georgia agencies won for its "one hundred days
of summer HEAT" ticketing campaign.
