"Plan would send ticket surcharge to police retirement"

[SirFshAlot]

this is just great

Plan would send ticket surcharge to police retirement

Wed, Jan 29, 2003



The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY -- A Democratic lawmaker is proposing a bill that would tack a $20 surcharge on all moving violation tickets issued to motorists and funnel the revenues into police retirement benefits.

"This is twofold," said Sen. Mike Dmitrich, D-Price, said. "It would help stop the speeding problem and help fund the retirement system."

The money generated would boost the annual cost of living increase for public safety retirees from 2.5 percent to 4 percent, bringing the benefits retired officers receive to the same level with other government retirees.

That"s something police officers have wanted for years.

"Every other retirement system in the state is at 4 percent except public safety, and that is not right," said South Ogden Police Chief Val Shupe, president of the Utah Chiefs of Police Association.

The increase for state officers alone would be about $2 million, while figures for local and county law enforcement are still being calculated, Dmitrich said.

His bill as it stands calls for the increase. He said he plans to introduce legislation later that addresses tacking on the surcharge as a funding mechanism.

Dmitrich"s proposal is already drawing criticism.

"If nothing else, such a law creates an appearance of a conflict and that appearance would serve to undermine the image and integrity of law enforcement," said Brian Barnard, a prominent civil rights attorney.

Shupe argued tickets already generate money for cities, and that money pays for police forces.

"I think the conflict comes with the perception of the individual," Shupe said. "If they can make this work, we"re for it."

Those familiar with the retirement system say police officers and firefighters for years stayed at a lower cost-of-living rate because, unlike other government employees, they are eligible for retirement after 20 years.

Other workers have to wait 30 years.

But firefighters were bumped to 4 percent in 1994, while police have stayed at the lower rate, Shupe said.

[sarcasm]
now I doubt our fine officers would ever give out more tickets to boost their own retirement if this crap passed
[/sarcasm]

 

[Anubis]

BAD IDEA!!!!!!!!

we would see mo speeding tickets so they could make teh fund bigger

also if yo look at you tickets. depending on where you are you allready pay stupid fees like that. I got a traffic ticket for pulling out into traffic. 50$ fine. not so bad but teh ticket total was 125$! :|. i had to pay 40$ to teh Catastrophic loss fund and some to some other stupid things

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Don't break the law then. I don't see the problem. This bill is an incentive for motorists to actually start driving better

 

[Orsorum]

I think the issue here is the conflict of interest. It suddenly becomes an issue of racking up extra funds for the retirement program, rather than an unbiased assessment of a driver's behavior.

 

[rufruf44]

Originally posted by: Zakath15
I think the issue here is the conflict of interest. It suddenly becomes an issue of racking up extra funds for the retirement program, rather than an unbiased assessment of a driver's behavior.

Ditto, cops are human too. They'll be more inclined to do things that will benefit them and mask it on something else. I'll be surprised if the number of tickets doesn't increase if the bill becomes reality.

 

[SlowSS]

Hmmm, if this bill passes, there could be some sort of legal complications when police officers are challenged.

Defense lawyer will have a field day making a case against PO to prove that they

had ulterior motives to issue citations.

Something like "The only reason my client received a ticket was to boost your retirement".

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Zakath15
I think the issue here is the conflict of interest. It suddenly becomes an issue of racking up extra funds for the retirement program, rather than an unbiased assessment of a driver's behavior.

Ding-ding-ding; gave that man a cigar. Hit it right on the head. This is a very bad idea!

 

[dullard]

I'm all for larger fines (which Raging said will help give incentives to follow the law), but I highly disagree with giving the money directly to the pockets of the police that write those tickets. Why not instead put that money into the victims of crime fund?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Don't break the law then. I don't see the problem. This bill is an incentive for motorists to actually start driving better

While there are true Law breakers and speeders out there they also pull the wool over your eyes too. Case in point, I had Donna in the car with me and she saw I had the cruise control set on 60 (and I did not have my foot on the gas at all) in a 55 and in the middle of a long line of cars on I-75. Cop pulls in behind me and writes me up for 76 mph in 55! He did that so it would be a major violation (at least 20 mph over) and a lot more money for their local Dept (City of Perry, Georgia) Christmas party.

You can bet there will be a ton more of this kind of abuse should laws like that one above gets passed.

 

[SlowSS]

No more warnings that is for sure.

 

[SirFshAlot]

You can bet there will be a ton more of this kind of abuse should laws like that one above gets passed.

exactly

 

[wfbberzerker]

good idea, in my opinion.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
good idea, in my opinion.

let me guess, you're a cop

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
good idea, in my opinion.

EDIT: and no, i am not a cop.

 

[brtspears2]

They should just do a progressive fine bracket. The more income you make, the more money you pay. Works for me, since I don't make much money.

 

[bGIveNs33]

Originally posted by: brtspears2
They should just do a progressive fine bracket. The more income you make, the more money you pay. Works for me, since I don't make much money.

Or we could just convert our country to socialism.

Why I don't understand is why people think the government/taxpayer should pay for THEIR retirement.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: brtspears2
They should just do a progressive fine bracket. The more income you make, the more money you pay. Works for me, since I don't make much money.

It's always easier for the bottom 90% to vote something on the top 10%. Gotta love democracy.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Don't break the law then. I don't see the problem. This bill is an incentive for motorists to actually start driving better

No, it is an incentive for police to write more bogus tickets. Police already write too many bogus tickets simply for revenue generation, now we're gonna put that money directly in their pockets? The conflict of interest doesn't occur to you, does it?
Example of a bogus ticket: a friend of mine got pulled over last night and ticketed for not using his turn signal. As an avid user and supporter of turn signal usage, I would normally be all for this. One problem: Oregon law states that turn signals do not have to be used when the driver is already established in a "turn-only" or "exit-only" lane, which my friend was. Now he has to waste his time and effort to fight a ticket that should never have been issued in the first place.

 

[Toasthead]

dont break the law and you have nothing to worry about.

 

[AvesPKS]

Originally posted by: Zakath15

Originally posted by: brtspears2
They should just do a progressive fine bracket. The more income you make, the more money you pay. Works for me, since I don't make much money.

It's always easier for the bottom 90% to vote something on the top 10%. Gotta love democracy.

I don't have a link, but they actually do this in Germany.

 

[notfred]

This is one step short of having mexican federales on our freeways. Pull you over for no reason, say you were speeding, and offer to let you go if you give them $20.

If the police are pocketing the money from tickets, it WILL be a corrupting influence.

 

[d33pt]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Don't break the law then. I don't see the problem. This bill is an incentive for motorists to actually start driving better

Are you really naive enough to actually believe that?

 

[SirFshAlot]

Originally posted by: Toasthead
dont break the law and you have nothing to worry about.

that's based on your Utopian assumption that all cops are truly honest people with never any ulterior motives

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: SirFshAlot

Originally posted by: Toasthead
dont break the law and you have nothing to worry about.

that's based on your Utopian assumption that all cops are truly honest people with never any ulterior motives

Police are human, just like anyone else. (can I get a duh? )

 

[Beau]

Hey, we live in Utah. Utahns don't do sh!t like that. And they're cops! Cops don't break the law!