Wanna know something we bet you don't know? Most Cops don't like to write traffic tickets. If they do, they usually join the Highway Patrol or move to some agency unit that specializes in traffic control. To most Cops--unless it's some drunk or reckless driver, or dude with a big mouth that's just begging for one--writing citations just gets in the way of doing real police work.
There are times, however, under one administration--Chief or Sheriff--or the other, where a specific number of traffic citations were set as a quota you had to meet. That, or other documented proof of activity. I remember one was the "two pieces of paper" quota. At the end of the shift, you had to turn in at least one traffic citation, or two other pieces of "paper." These could be field interrogation reports, driver's warnings, correction cards for faulty equipment, stuff like that.
Many officers would go get the "pieces of paper" as soon as the shift started to get them out of the way. Trouble was sometimes the activity just wasn't there, so you had to be inventive. One Cop, we'll call Stinkum Shark, had proven methods to generate his traffic ticket.
One was the "coming out of the sun" method. Shark would hide in an area where folks naturally pick up speed then come "out of sun" to clock them. This was done best at the extremities of day, when the sun was rising or setting. He liked bridges, cause even drivers with cruise control speed up going over a bridge. (Now you know why you see so many Cops lurking near bridges)
Shark would hid in the glare of the sun, then slam you like a fighter pilot bagging a Jap Zero. (That's where the tactic originated)
Another shady method was the "push." He'd get behind the last car in a string and "bumper ride" it until it sped up. Causing the one in front of it to speed up, and so on. Then, when one of the cars down the line was pushed to a sufficient illegal speed, it was ticket time.
Probably his dirtiest trick was the traffic light at 5th Ave North and Goodlette Road. After midnight there was little traffic on this road. The light had a pedestrian crossing switch on it and a good hiding place for the patrol car nearby. Shark would wait until he saw a car approaching in the distance, then run out and throw the crossing switch, causing the light to turn red, shortly. Many drivers, seeing there was no traffic at all, disregarded the light. Until Shark suddenly appeared with his citation book and pen.
Actually "Shark" is a composite of several officers. Probably some are still using these tricks--and others--to get their "pieces of paper." And probably these guys should brush up on their ethics or move on to work that requires less integrity. I know that when I caught them doing this crap, I'd help them make that decision.
No comments:
Post a Comment