Police Officer Sues Under Whistleblower Act After Refusing To Target Younger Drivers and Meet Quotas - Polidicks

[url]http://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/local/2014/05/28/mendham-township-officer-lawsuit-illegal-ticket-quotas/9675785/[/url] [quote=source] Wysokowski contends that he has consistently met department standards on enforcement of motor vehicle laws but beginning in 2005, under now-former Police Chief Thomas Costanza, he was told he had to "increase his numbers." The suit says that in 2005, Crawford, who was then a sergeant but now is chief, advised Wysokowski to "seek out and target younger drivers for motor vehicle stops." "Crawford told plaintiff that it was 'good police work,' or words to that effect," the lawsuit said. The complaint said that Wysokowski has been advised by superiors that he can always find an infraction when he stops a vehicle. "Then-Sgt. Crawford advised plaintiff to pull over any car with a group of younger drivers/passengers who appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties. Crawford went so far as to suggest to plaintiff that he should look for vehicles with a Morris County College parking permit or other identifier and to stop that vehicle," the lawsuit charged.. Wysokowski claims that he repeatedly stated that such profiling was against laws regarding probable cause to stop vehicles but was advised "to keep his mouth shut." [/quote]

arrest quotas and such seem so unethical to me

wow a police officer not abusing his power!

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;45722530]arrest quotas and such seem so unethical to me[/QUOTE] they are

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;45722530]arrest quotas and such seem so unethical to me[/QUOTE] they are literally saying, i don't care if no one is breaking the law, ticket them anyway

american police are there to make money first, enforce the law second. if you want to stop people from speeding just sit out in the open but no every cop hides like a bunch of roaches just waiting for someone to make a mistake I know it's not each individual cop's fault and that it's mostly the higher ups deciding this garbage but the whole money first thing needs to stop I imagine it's much the same in a lot of other countries

not a surprise coming from a small county (less than 6k population)

I once had a cop who pulled me over for 'running a stop sign' Even though I stopped. he said I had to be stopped for 3 seconds before turning.

[QUOTE=ilikecorn;45722696]Probably because they encourage you to make arrests that are otherwise unlawful, or to write tickets for things that are otherwise usually over-looked. Arrest quotas should feel unethical to EVERYONE. I love their mentality too "yea, get the college kids" as if the college kids have any money..[/QUOTE] Perhaps that's the point, they (generally speaking) don't have the time or money to fight the ticket.

The law enforcement community really needs more people like this who are brave enough to stand up against such bs such as arrest and ticket quotas

[QUOTE=Itauske Roken;45722725]I once had a cop who pulled me over for 'running a stop sign' Even though I stopped. he said I had to be stopped for 3 seconds before turning.[/QUOTE] That is technically called a "Rolling stop" and is technically illegal. Just usually ignored.

[QUOTE=ilikecorn;45722696]I love their mentality too "yea, get the college kids" as if the college kids have any money..[/QUOTE] Their parents do, in their thinking, I'm sure.

If this doesn't stop ticketing quotas I'm going to go buy a dash cam. I got ticketed for running a stop even though I stopped at a T intersection for over 3 seconds AND there was a car crossing.

[QUOTE=NoobieWafer223;45722753]That is technically called a "Rolling stop" and is technically illegal. Just usually ignored.[/QUOTE] I enjoy systems in which everyone is violating the law 99% of the time and the police can choose to actually enforce it on a whim. See also: Ludicrously low speed limits "but you should be OK going ten over"

[QUOTE=Elecbullet;45722840]I enjoy systems in which everyone is violating the law 99% of the time and the police can choose to actually enforce it on a whim. See also: Ludicrously low speed limits "but you should be OK going ten over"[/QUOTE] yes it's called discretion. the same as when officers lets people off with a warning instead of a ticket.

[QUOTE=NoobieWafer223;45722753]That is technically called a "Rolling stop" and is technically illegal. Just usually ignored.[/QUOTE] No, That's an officer bullshit rule to make you admit guilt to something that doesn't exist. Unless a jurisdiction has a specific law saying a 3 second rule applies (NONE that i know of) then a stop is considered when your vehicle comes to a complete stop. There is no multi second rule that you need to be stopped. New York specifically does not have a state law mandating a minimum stop time. Source: [url]http://www.auburnjournal.com/article/ask-dmv-how-long-do-you-have-wait-stop-sign[/url] Sourc: [url]http://trafficticketsolutions.ca/stop-sign.php[/url]

I think the problem is that the chiefs can only guarantee that their officers are actually out there doing their job and not procrastinating is if quotas are in place. It's a bad system, but I can't imagine any better system. [editline]18th August 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=CubeManv2;45722909]No, That's an officer bullshit rule to make you admit guilt to something that doesn't exist. Unless a jurisdiction has a specific law saying a 3 second rule applies (NONE that i know of) then a stop is considered when your vehicle comes to a complete stop. There is no multi second rule that you need to be stopped. New York specifically does not have a state law mandating a minimum stop time. Source: [url]http://www.auburnjournal.com/article/ask-dmv-how-long-do-you-have-wait-stop-sign[/url] Sourc: [url]http://trafficticketsolutions.ca/stop-sign.php[/url][/QUOTE] Stopped means fully stopped, not slowing to a crawl like when most people do 'rolling stops'. I'm pretty sure a police officer won't care if a driver fully stops their car for even one second, but if the driver slows to a crawl at a stop sign it's still not stopping.

[QUOTE=Antdawg;45722923]I think the problem is that the chiefs can only guarantee that their officers are actually out there doing their job and not procrastinating is if quotas are in place. It's a bad system, but I can't imagine any better system.[/QUOTE] If an officer isn't writing certain tickets then you can investigate. By having a meeting whenever and saying I need you all to get 10 tickets within this time frame to the entire force you are stressing officers to bend the law to there favor and meet this quota or they can face discipline. Officers in Yonkers will get little or no overtime if large amounts of tickets aren't written within time frames. You think that check point set up around the sametime every month is just for your safety? No it's about quotas, overtime, and income. Our country now depends on law breaking for a source of income. [editline]18th August 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Antdawg;45722923]I think the problem is that the chiefs can only guarantee that their officers are actually out there doing their job and not procrastinating is if quotas are in place. It's a bad system, but I can't imagine any better system. [editline]18th August 2014[/editline] Stopped means fully stopped, not slowing to a crawl like when most people do 'rolling stops'. I'm pretty sure a police officer won't care if a driver fully stops their car for even one second, but if the driver slows to a crawl at a stop sign it's still not stopping.[/QUOTE] Yes but he is implying unless you stop for 3 seconds it's not a stop. That's wrong and misinformation.

[QUOTE=Tetsmega;45722827]If this doesn't stop ticketing quotas I'm going to go buy a dash cam. I got ticketed for running a stop even though I stopped at a T intersection for over 3 seconds AND there was a car crossing.[/QUOTE] Should buy a dash cam regardless, they can save someone from being wrongly put at fault if you catch it on camera. This whole targeting younger drivers is the biggest load of crap. I know people that have have gotten fines for having their P plate (Requirement in Australia for new drivers) blocked by the demisters on the back window as well as another friend having his car defected, 3 minutes after getting his car roadworthy certificate. When he asked why, the cops said "Because you're a P plater". Thankfully he got that one challenged and won.

[QUOTE=CubeManv2;45722947]If an officer isn't writing certain tickets then you can investigate. By having a meeting whenever and saying I need you all to get 10 tickets within this time frame to the entire force you are stressing officers to bend the law to there favor and meet this quota or they can face discipline. Officers in Yonkers will get little or no overtime if large amounts of tickets aren't written within time frames. You think that check point set up around the sametime every month is just for your safety? No it's about quotas, overtime, and income. Our country now depends on law breaking for a source of income. [editline]18th August 2014[/editline] Yes but he is implying unless you stop for 3 seconds it's not a stop. That's wrong and misinformation.[/QUOTE] Lets not generalize the entire US over one department. My [B]state[/B] explicitly bans quotas. You can be mad as hell about the policy where you are, but its not like that in most places. If you do not stop, yes.. STOP. at a STOP sign aka rolling it, then its illegal. 3s at a sign is a bit weird. But a full stop is required and we're trained to spot stops.

Ticket quotas aren't entirely a bad thing. If they weren't there then we would have police officers getting paid to do nothing. Obviously either way you don't entirely win.

[QUOTE=ilikecorn;45723097]I think this falls under the same logical fallacy that "if everyone got paid the same, no one would be a doctor".[/QUOTE] I would guess that a whole lot of people wouldn't strive for more difficult jobs if they payed the same as something simple.

[QUOTE=NoobieWafer223;45722753]That is technically called a "Rolling stop" and is technically illegal. Just usually ignored.[/QUOTE] a rolling stop is where the car slows down and doesn't stop and just passes the stop sign, if in case he did stop and then went what the officer did was wrong [QUOTE] rolling stop noun an instance when a vehicle driver slows down but does not stop at a stop sign [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=ilikecorn;45723097]I think this falls under the same logical fallacy that "if everyone got paid the same, no one would be a doctor".[/QUOTE] How? I'm just saying it's a necessary evil. It depends on the area where it is enforced and the people enforcing it though if it would be better than the alternative. In the case of the article, the chief is obviously an idiot so it makes quotas look bad. There's a ticket quota for police officers in my city (I live in a city where people commute to work) and people are pretty happy with how the police department is doing so that's why I think quotas aren't all that bad. [QUOTE=confinedUser;45723183]a rolling stop is where the car slows down and doesn't stop and just passes the stop sign, if in case he did stop and then went what the officer did was wrong[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_sign#Compliance_requirements[/url] [quote]However, some drivers slow but don't come to a complete stop. This maneuver is called a rolling stop or nicknamed after a city or region regarded as somewhere it is commonplace (e.g., "Rhode Island roll" or "California stop"[22]) – slowing down significantly but not stopping completely at the sign.[23] This partial stop is not acceptable to most law enforcement officials, and can result in a traffic citation.[/quote]

[QUOTE=Banhfunbags;45723186]How? I'm just saying it's a necessary evil. It depends on the area where it is enforced and the people enforcing it though if it would be better than the alternative. In the case of the article, the chief is obviously an idiot so it makes quotas look bad. There's a ticket quota for police officers in my city (I live in a city where people commute to work) and people are pretty happy with how the police department is doing so that's why I think quotas aren't all that bad. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_sign#Compliance_requirements[/url][/QUOTE] i just stated that...

[QUOTE=confinedUser;45723225]i just stated that...[/QUOTE] My bad I was quoting that to prove your point but I forgot to add text after the quote and my edit was broken.

[QUOTE=Banhfunbags;45723231]My bad I was quoting that to prove your point but I forgot to add text after the quote and my edit was broken.[/QUOTE] oh lol :v:

Are arrest/ticket quotas not illegal in the US?

[QUOTE=Code3Response;45723032]Lets not generalize the entire US over one department. My [B]state[/B] explicitly bans quotas. You can be mad as hell about the policy where you are, but its not like that in most places. If you do not stop, yes.. STOP. at a STOP sign aka rolling it, then its illegal. 3s at a sign is a bit weird. But a full stop is required and we're trained to spot stops.[/QUOTE] That doesn't stop them, You can force them by reducing or eliminating OT for people who don't meet the unofficial quotas. This is an issue in my city that is under investigation (By our own police force...)

[QUOTE=MuTAnT;45723364]Are arrest/ticket quotas not illegal in the US?[/QUOTE] I think it's a per city/per state thing. And even then, someone has to report it.