Re: ticket quotas

[Paul Wilson <pwilson@pop.ma.ultranet.com>]

At 08:30 PM 10/25/98 EST, Charlie Smith wrote:
>I've got to join Michael in this.
>
>I'm a volunteer police officer in Columbus Ohio, and have been with this 
>enough years to agree with Michael 100%.  Most officers aren't going to
>write a traffic ticket unless someone really asks for it.  Exceptions
>around here are CPD Freeway Patrol - and that's their job; and the Ohio
>State Highway Patrol ... I won't get started on what I think of them.

I see where you're coming from, but the general public just sees a cop
writing a ticket(based on a speed limit that is most likely a little
questionable).

>Usually an officer isn't going to write a ticket unless it's 100%
>defensable in court.  Probably one of the first things the officer asked
>you was 'do you know why I stopped you?'  and, 'do you know how fast you
>were going?'  If you say you don't know how fast you were going, forget
>trying to plead not guilty later.  Also, if the officer tells you you
>were going twelve over the limit, and you said 'you were only going 5
>over' - same deal ... the officer certainly made a written note of what
>you said, and you just admitted you were speeding!  5 over is exceeding
>the speed limit - and usually the code doesn't say exceeding by any
>particular amount - until you get into the codes that cover +20 and up.

Err, ok.  What am I *supposed* to say so that I can plead innocent?

Paul Wilson