Are Traffic Ticket Quotas In California Real?

The Reality of Speed Traps and Ticket Quotas

We have all heard the rumors and whispers about speed traps and ticket quotas but do they really exist? Fines from traffic tickets account for millions of dollars in revenue for local and state law enforcement agencies each year. When you factor in the financial element of traffic tickets, it is easy to see how ticket quotas would be used by law enforcement agencies to encourage their officers to increase the number of traffic citations written during a specific period.

El Cajon Police Department Under Fire for Alleged Quota System

In a recent story reported by LA Times, the El Cajon Police Department was put under fire for allegedly using a quota system to encourage officers to issue a higher number of traffic tickets and other citations. While using quotas for traffic tickets is illegal, sources within the police department allege that it is part of the daily life of officers in El Cajon. In some cases, monetary rewards such as gift cards are awarded to the officer with the highest ticket quota. Does offering rewards in exchange for tickets reduce the quality and performance of officers who may be influenced by the desire to impress superiors and win rewards?

Channel 10 News obtained a photograph of a white board in the briefing room at the police station. The board has the names of several officers along with a scoring system that details the “results” of their arrests and traffic tickets. The photograph, combined with information from sources within the department, does seem to indicate that the police department is using a form of ticket quotas to encourage their officers.

Rewards for Officers with the Highest Scores

A source inside the police department reports that officers are given gift cards and free meals for having the best scores. The source also reports that the point system is used by superiors during evaluations and it plays a role in officers receiving promotions. It would seem that ticket quotas do exist when you look at the photograph and listen to what sources have to say about the internal workings of the police department.

Denial of Quota System by El Cajon Police Department

In a written statement provided to the news station, Lt. Michael Moulton of the El Cajon Police Department denies that ticket quotas exist. He begins by stating, “First, without reservation I can state that the El Cajon Police Department does not have any type of “quota system.” He then explains the evidence obtained by Channel 10 News as an illustration of “the amount of work performed by the officers during a patrol shift.” Lt. Moulton attributes the information on the white board as a means of tracking performance through statistical data.

The fact is that ticket quotas are illegal in California but it is difficult to believe that they do not exist. Last year LAist reported on the Los Angeles parking ticket quota system. A retired traffic officer broke the story that officers are required to write a certain number of citations even though the term “quota” is not used. In some cases, “officers resort to writing up what he describes as borderline violations.” This also mirrors the LA Times News story where a source alleged that using a quota system interferes and unduly influences an officer’s judgment whether to issue a ticket or make an arrest because he or she is focused on the quota rather than the job.

The Negative Impact of Ticket Quotas on Policing

Reports of ticket quotas plague police departments across the country. Ticket quotas are not a problem just in California. Police departments and law enforcement agencies throughout the country have dealt with reports that they force their officers to meet ticket quotas in order to keep their job, receive promotions and generate enough revenue to avoid cutbacks. The pressure to issue tickets can be enormous causing officers to lose focus on their true job – protecting the public.