Some Random Ruminations...
Have you ever thought about something that was said and somehow the message didn't come across in the way it was "intended"?
I see and hear that a LOT lately.
Must be that nasty investigative aspect to my persona (blame that on the Feds...and my parents).
Whenever we settle for something sight unseen and with no real explanation, we might wind up getting "taken to the cleaners" (which isn't bad if you've a LOT of things that are in need of such services).
Think of it like buying a used car without taking it for a spin around the block, kicking the tires, opening the hood, or checking underneath for leaks.
You just might up with a real POS!
Life is there to TEACH us about such things...if we're paying proper attention to it, that is.
And with that preamble firmly entrenched in your minds, let us press forward, fair enough?
*** This tidbit REALLY got me thinking, and you'll see why below:
(( FWPD to rate patrolmen on tickets written - 60+ tickets per six months exceeding standards
Updated: Wednesday, 26 Jan 2011, 6:29 PM EST
Published : Wednesday, 26 Jan 2011, 5:46 PM EST
Aishah Hasnie / Chris Hopper
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - NewsChannel 15 discovered a new rating scale is rolling into the Fort Wayne Police Department that will grade patrolmen on how many tickets they write every six months.
Every six months, the department rates its officers on performance. There are a number of categories that are graded. The new grade hones in on how many tickets officers write each rating period.
"It basically addresses: Do officers utilize their time, their talent, their equipment to best serve the city in their tour of duty?" explained Fort Wayne police chief Rusty York. "It's part of our process to clear the playing field," said York. "Officers are treated the same. Evaluated the same."
It goes into effect in February and will cover a five month period ending in June. Officers who write 0-10 tickets will get an unsatisfactory grade. Those who write 11-20 tickets will receive a 'below standards' grade.
Those who write 21-59 tickets will receive a 'meets standards' grade. And writing 60 or more tickets will give an officer an 'exceeding standards' grade.York said, currently, the average patrolman is meeting standards.
He added, "There are some officers during that same rating period that would write 500 citations. So we feel that this easily obtainable, but it's a way we can evaluate officers fairly."
When asked if the scale would unfairly pressure officers to hand out tickets, York said he wasn't anticipating that. He called the rating system "liberal" and says officers have a duty to uphold the law.
"Obviously probable cause has to be met in that. So a ticket cannot be issued unless, you know, the law is violated," York said.
He also said the department has informed officers about the additional rating, but NewsChannel 15 spoke to several officers who've only heard "rumors" about it.
NewsChannel 15 sought a comment from the police union, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (PBA). It too had only heard chatter from officers inquiring about it, Wednesday. PBA president Sofia Rosales contacted the police department and then sent NewsChannel 15 this statement:
At this time the PBA does not agree with management on this issue. To initiate a system that encourages or in fact demands a quota system for traffic tickets in order for our officers to be found acceptable or above average on their personnel evaluations is unfair. The citizens should not be looked upon as a source of revenue nor should the police be seen as the collector of those monies. Quotas put undue pressure on officers to almost ignore other police issues while on patrol. Instead of patrolling a neighborhood or interacting with the community the officer becomes tied up writing minor traffic violations. We know and understand that traffic safety is an integral part of law enforcement and our officers already do an outstanding job.
In mandating a quota system we take away the officers ability to police the way he or she deems necessary for the unique characteristics of the districts he or she works.
Officers should not be so encumbered by numbers or ratings to the extent it interferes with their positive interactions with the citizens of Fort Wayne. It seems as though this new policy may do that. ))
*ahem*...
Now this is a real mixed bag for me, because I've always felt that padding one's citation book to kiss some ass was NEVER part of the "job-description".
It's NOT fair to the officer, and it can often times be VERY unfair to a motorist who might be better served with ONLY a verbal warning.
But, if that "promotion" rests on the NUMBER of tickets produced, then those warnings might very well become WRITTEN CITATIONS.
Now, I've never been a fan of quotas AT ALL.
I AM a fan of PROACTIVE POLICING, however.

Affirmative action skewed my opinion of quotas a LONG time ago, and probably for many of the same reasons you believe.
People need to succeed (or fail) based on their OWN merit, and not some manufactured statistic.
But there IS another side to this coin, people.
If the FWPD chief WANTS to make more "traffic stops" for example, then why not begin in MY particular part of town???
Here are some sobering FACTS:
Just at my intersection (located in the south of Sector 45)...
We had 3,546 BOOMCARS drive past our house (give or take a few). That was JUST for 2010.
ALL of these vehicles were LOUD enough to shake the house, which firmly places them IN VIOLATION of the city's NOISE ORDINANCE (the 30 ft rule).
Having spoken to an officer, such infractions constitute a fine of $125 (per violation).
Now...LET'S DO THE MATH, kids...
The "total" comes to about $443,250.00 (again, give or take)!!!
THAT is some SERIOUS f$cking scratch, folks!
Let's add some MORE "violators" to this list, such as those with improper or non-functioning vehicle illumination.
That would amount to about TWENTY per night (only time you can see that the lights aren't working...DUH).
Take that 20 and multiply by 365.
Roughly 7300 violations (lots of repeat offenders), so let's take that number DOWN to say 3000.
Take the 3000 and multiply THAT by the same $125 citation.
Total: $375,000.00...!!!
Let's now ADD just those two totals:
It comes to about $818,250.00...!
(to quote Momma Fargo) - *blink* - *blink*
THAT is HOW MUCH money the city (and the FWPD) basically MISSES EVERY STINKING YEAR down here, because not ENOUGH patrols are used, and not ENOUGH citations are being issued WHERE they should be..
I could also get into the speeding and parking issues, but they're usually SO damn obvious (except when it pertains to my ghettohood).
I mean I can DEFINITELY make the case for having a LOT more citations down here for laws that have been on the books for ages, can I not?
And if this new "quota system" WOULD in fact address ALL these chronic violators in the manner they NEED to be addressed, that makes life a bit better all around, right?
But, if the FWPD brass wants to park a few cruisers UP NORTH at the intersections of Coldwater and Coliseum JUST to get those up-scale and better-off "yellow-light runners" every few cycles of that stoplight, well THAT is just plain WRONG. That's too EASY a solution to the problems that infest this city, and especially does NOT address the ever-growing problems DOWN on the SOUTH side of Fort Wayne.
There is a sh*tload of potential (and perfectly deserved) "revenue" to be made down here from ALL the infractions I mentioned...numbers don't lie (unlike politicians).
The SOUTH EAST quadrant has the SECOND HIGHEST level of DISPOSABLE INCOME in the damn city...now why the hell IS that anyway?

(that would be money from the sale of drugs)
We have a LOT FEWER people WORKING down here...trust me, I see (and hear) the evidence of that.
(on any block, you can count those that are NOT on the government dole on ONE frigging hand...with a finger or two missing)
We DO have the densest population on the SE side (and I mean that in a census-related way), although I have seen MY share of "dense" people milling about, AND we do enjoy the highest CRIME RATE in the city (because OF those dense people), so what BETTER place to enact a quota system (if you really have to) THAN down here, hmm?
Personally when it comes to rating officers down here, I give them ALL an "A+" for RADIO-CHASING.
There are those officers and supervisors that DO (and will) go that extra mile to work the streets, establishing patterns of behavior, hot-spots for criminal activity and the like, but overall, it's nicely mundane (and almost non-existent) as far as being PROACTIVE in any way, shape or form.
And thanks to fringe groups that have moved a lot of the wrong (criminal) people into the area, seeing any thoughts of having more of the GOOD folks to work WITH the police are all but dashed to hell.
If the media had HALF a backbone, they would investigate the whole process of quotas, policing, and the PEOPLE in the worst areas. Include the businesses that have been targeted (and those forced to close), and pull court records to see where the perpetual perps are living, and what the department has been doing to ensure the quality-of-life for the innocent and law-abiding civilians in their midst.
Hell, I've got data and photos going back over FIVE years regarding this area, and aside from sending monthly reports to the quadrant captain, I've never heard back from ANYONE aside from the captain, either in the department OR any media source.

And I don't even get PAID for gathering (and forwarding) such data.

(be nice if I was...I'm just sayin')
I do have my personal sources that I rely on to keep me up-to-date on certain things, and I've even made myself available to various units in the FWPD (such as VN - vice/narcotics) should they ever wish to contact me regarding any of THEIR investigations.
Still waiting...for anyone. Call me.
Hard to believe I'm the LONE WOLF here on this one.
But, you do what you do...because it's the RIGHT THING TO DO, and I've already seen the result of other people doing NOTHING.
(not a pretty picture)
I would like to see both the PBA and the FWPD brass come to some middle ground with this quota gig, because it was NOT received well back in Philly when they put the exact same thing in place. Caused a lot of "bad blood" w/ the city and the department by the rank & file officers.
I certainly wouldn't want to see history repeat itsel here...not in today's world.
If this program is done RIGHT, the bad parts of town won't be as bad as they are now (using my guidelines), but if it's handled "as usual", all it will do is cause the officers to become resentful, and the citizens wary and angry (not to mention frivolous racial lawsuits out the wazoo again)...and THAT'S the bottom line.
But hey, it's not like I know ANYTHING about this sorta stuff, right?
*** Lastly, we got more snow coming to the Midwest (1-2 inches) AND the EAST coast (again) so take it easy and bundle up.
In other words, don't put that shovel away just yet, kapeesh?
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.