Dovetailing nicely with my recent post entitled “NYC Police Department Caught Imposing Traffic Ticket Quotas” confirming that the 77th Precinct in Brooklyn imposes traffic ticket and arrest quotes, ABC Eyewitness News reports 41st Precinct in the Bronx likewise pressures its police officers to issue traffic tickets and make criminal arrests.
The story interviews Police Officer Adil Polanco who bravely stands up for what is right refusing to issue bogus tickets or make questionable arrests. Officer Polanco was given a “modified” assignment after this story broke. The story also includes interviews with two young males who were issued pink tickets for unlawful assembly and arrested, and then had their cases dropped.
Quotas are illegal 
because they encourage police officers to write questionable tickets. However, tape recordings from a 44th Precinct roll call show they are nevertheless part of the NYPD’s standard operating procedure (even thought they call their quotas something else — “productivity goals”).
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Besides being illegal ticket quotas hurt Police/public relations. If the police harass the public for every little mistake (many times police make stuff up for tickets), the public’s sentiment towards police sours. People stop seeing the police as helpful and resent them and in turn the police resent the public and everyone becomes their enemy. Also, the city thinks it’s making money but maybe not as much as they think when you consider most tickets get dismissed and the court’s resources are wasted.
You can see the double standards everywhere. In my neighborhood there are car maintenance businesses that park cars on sidewalks making it difficult to walk passed, park cars in the street for days and with no license plates many of the cars are missing most of the body and no tickets are issued. Obvious special treatment for these businesses.
NYPD, wake up. Politicians are using you and making your jobs more difficult. Fight these quotas!
John,
Thanks for sharing your salient thoughts on this topic. We and our readers appreciate it.
Matthew Weiss
WHAT’S IS GOING ON WITH THE NEW YORK CITY?
My wife and I and some friends came into New York on a Sunday afternoon to see a show and patronize the theater district. What should have been a special afternoon was ruined before it started. I have always taught my children that the NYC police were the best, that they are helpful and friendly to tourists. I am deeply disappointed by this experience.
I started to turn left from Broadway into 47th Street. I then saw the sign and realized that this was an illegal turn. When I tried to straighten out and continue on Broadway, I could not because there was a police car very close behind me blocking my way, so that I had no choice but to continue on to 47th St. I was a bit surprised to see over 10 police officers surrounding my car like a swat team right after I turned the corner, especially when I had been forced to make the turn by a police car which was blocking me. After I received the summons and parked my car in a nearby garage I went back to the intersection of Broadway and 47th Street and watched the officers ticketing many other drivers using the exact same tactics. Once a car started to make that left turn a police car would block that car in so the driver could not correct their course. The police were trapping motorists, and then pouncing upon them. When we returned to the garage hours later, a large group of officers were still standing about without much traffic to ticket. So much for patrolling Broadway and assisting tourists.
I think this is an awful way for a major city like New York to generate revenues.
Rick,
There are many places in the City where cops heavily enforce. All these officers pretty much do for the City is generate revenue.
Matthew Weiss
[sarcasm]Good News! Traffic Quotas will soon be a thing of the past! NYC is now considering the use of speeding cameras!
LEOs will never have to check to see if a driver who is exceeding the posted ‘limit’ could be
a) drunk or otherwise intoxicated
b) unlicensed
c) driving an unregistered or stolen vehicle
d) carrying contraband
e) a criminal with a warrant for their arrest
f) in the process of committing a felony
With speeding cameras protecting us, we won’t need actual police officers, thus, no more quotas![/sarcasm]
A Very Quick NYC Cabdriver.
Thanks for your post. Your sarcasm did not go un-noticed.
Matt,
Thanks for staying on top of this story. Many people rationalize “quotas” by comparing them to “goal setting” in the business world. Wouldn’t you live to take a gun to a deposition and write a deposition ticket to any lawyer who raises an objection? Absurd analogy.
Looking forward to the next update.