Pittsburgh Police Introduce Traffic Stop Quota

www.wtae.com...

PITTSBURGH -- Officers working in patrol cars in Zone 2 of the Pittsburgh Police Bureau -- which also includes downtown -- are now being directed to make at least 10 traffic stops a month

The article talks a bit about how some people are split on this "new" (haha, new?) quota system. The ACLU is pretty mad about this to.

The American Civil Liberties Union in Pittsburgh said it's concerned that police officers will have an artificial inducement to make traffic stops.

Ive always had a "hunch" that police departments have been using quota systems.

Deputy Police Chief Paul Donaldson told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the quota is neither illegal nor unreasonable, because officers are not forced to issue citations or warnings when they stop cars.

Not issue warnings or citations? Are they gonna pull people over and ask them how their day is going?

Donaldson said the city is concerned that officers may be ignoring legitimate vehicle violations in downtown and bordering working-class neighborhoods.

Here's an article that talks a little bit more about the ACLU concerns.

www.wpxi.com...

PITTSBURGH -- The American Civil Liberties Union and some neighborhood groups are questioning a Pittsburgh police commander's order that officers in patrol cars make at least 10 traffic stops a month in a zone that includes the predominantly black Hill District.

Cmdr. George Trosky has refused to comment on his order, which was emailed to officers in the Hill District zone last week, saying it was "not newsworthy," one Pittsburgh newspaper reported.

Quotas have been around for years. Nothing new.
All that will happen will make for more disgruntled public and more money
for the cities that have implemented the use of said quota.

Pittsburgh cops have never needed an incentive to pull anyone over just to ask "how's your day going"
they'll do it at the drop of a dime.

ETA: Not news worthy??? It will be news worthy quicker than they think...

I don't see no reason for quotas considering cops already have the power to stop drivers who are ignoring legitimate vehicle violations.

I thought this was common knowlege for decades.

It's why you are more likely to get pulled over at a certain time of the month in any given place...right before the cops' monthly quota is due they often hustle to make the numbers.

reply to post by buni11687


Only 10 a month isn't bad, especially in a large-ish place like Pittsburgh. I can't seem to find out how many cops are in Zone though, and that could make things bad if there are a whole lot of them. I don't agree with quotas, but it could be worse I think. I'm sure it's only enforced because no one is willing to take a pay-cut at the station

Don't agree with quotas for police, but as a truck driver I must admit that any cop who can't find 10 vehicles a month to pull up for genuine reasons must be bludging.

I could pull up 10 a day with what I see on the road.

Ha! Where I used to work, were required to write one moving violation citation a DAY or were threatened with remedial training with a Field Training Officer......even if we were a veteran with the department! Also, if we fell below this quota, we were dinged on our yearly performance evaluations.

Nope, no such thing as quotas......