LAPD Traffic Ticket Quotas Don't Exist, Chief Beck Says: He Vows to Challenge Victorious Suit by Cops Who Said They Had to Write Citations

By Dennis Romero Wed., Apr. 13 2011 at 11:43 AM

fire monkey fish

Are LAPD traffic cops faced with productivity pressures -- or quotas?

If we told you LAPD traffic cops had a quota system when handing out tickets, would you be surprised?

Us neither. Seems Chief Charlie Beck is.

After a jury awareded $2 million to a pair of traffic cops who say they were slapped by the department for failing to meet their ticket numbers, Beck said this week he would "make every effort" to appeal the ruling

Really Charlie? You want this one dragged through the mud some more -- with evidence that the department has told officers to write 'em up or else?

We'd let this one go, sort of like the cops who don't show up for court when they know they were simply being ticket robots and can't remember the details of a particular case.

"I don't agree with many jury verdicts and I don't agree with this one,'' Beck told reporters.

The case was brought by West Traffic Division hands Howard Chan, now retired, and David Benioff. They say they were held to an 18 ticket-a-day quota and that when they didn't meet it they were given less-than-cool duties and taken off their beloved motorcycles.

Agreeing with their side, the jury gave them the cash for emotional distress.

While not denying there was "productivity" pressure on cops, Beck says, "It is not a quota, but it is a method by which we obtain a result which I require, which is an increase in public safety, which the LAPD has delivered to you."

Thanks, chief. We all feel safer knowing that you're guys are on the case of the late-yellow left-turn violator.

(As we've pleaded previously, we wish traffic cops would focus on flow impediments -- like people who don't use turn lanes, move into right-of-way traffic at the wrong time, drive way too damn slow -- instead of stupid infractions that do nothing to improve the level of congestion. Heck, often we see officers adding to congestion by pulling people over, during rush hour, and taking up a lane -- creating bottlenecks).

Anyway, rants aside, Gregory Smith, the plaintiffs' attorney, said more suits, from other officers, were en route.

-With reporting from City News Service. Got news? Email us. Follow us on Twitter, too: @dennisjromero.

Tags:

Charlie Beck, citations, LAPD, lawsuit, tickets, traffic

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Lightnapper

I'm not too sure about Traffic, but in Patrol, they call it RECAP-- rather than label it a quota system. You say tomato, I say tomato. The jury says 2 million! And that's all that matters. Taxpayers pay twice-- the tickets and the settlement. Nonetheless, here is a random thought. At the end of the deployment period, all the activity of the PO is tallied up-- misd/felony/juvenile arrests, citations and infractions ( tickets), etc. The numbers are posted by the KIT Room for all the troops to see-- in order of productivity from highest to lowest. That's one form of the incentive program-- Blue Pride. The second form of motivation-- stay near the bottom third of the stats for too long and a DEN Sgt. will come and have a friendly chat about improving productivity. Boot up ass! This is where Councilmatic Complaints help out-- "Hey, could you sit on this spot and intercept the bad drivers, an old lady living on the corner is bitching in my aides' ear." Also "fishing holes" are an easy way to jack up the score. Find a nice "Blind" and stake out a spot where there is a No Turn On Red sign posted, or perhaps sit just down from where a Stop Sign is located, but where nobody really likes to be bothered and actually stop. Those two alone can produce one ticket every ten minutes. That's why after about ten minures on a traffic stop, the RTO asks how it's going-- "12A57 what's your status?" The "powers that be" figure that's all the time it takes to write a "Greenie." They term their concern an officer safety issue. This conjecture is of course all blind speculation on my part. And the truth of the matter is a true Catch 22 because traffic mishaps are a leading cause of deaths in LA. Bad Bad LA Drivers!

Robert

Beck is just plain wrong. He's going to waste more money the City doesn't have because of his EGO. The City could have settled this for $500,000 or less but the City Attorney thought he had a sure win and decided to go the length only to LOSE. This is the biggest complaint cops have getting told in roll calls to bring in those tickets. I agree there are so many people who cause almost fatal accidents at those turn lanes. And YES I even agree with you about black and whites who stop people in the middle of the damn street causing more of a traffic safety issue then pulling over to the side of the road.

anonymous

Give me a break Chief Beck. We are insiders who know what goes on. Time, some honest cops and citizens fight back. To sustain your high pay and pensions, you'll ticket the pope if it gets you more money.