New Mexico State Police Ordered to Write Tickets or Face Punishment

[Frozin]

Is there a quota system for New Mexico's state police?

http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/playlist/13616

Eyewitness News 4 has uncovered documentation that indicates some police officers have been mandated to write a certain number tickets per month or face possible punishment.

The information was found after an anonymous tip led us to file a records request for a patrol plan given to some state police officers last year.

The record says, "Santa Fe officers are mandated to average a minimum of 100 citations and three DWI arrests per month, along with any other activity."

The same goes for officers patrolling Pecos.

According to the patrol plan, the consequences for failing to reach that quota include: "lower evaluations ratings," "loss of overtime privileges," and "loss of the ability to switch shifts."

Eyewitness News 4�s Jeremy Jojola asked Chief Faron Segotta about the mandate.

Jojola: �That sounds like a quota."

Segotta: �Well, it's not a quota. I can understand where the public may think it's a quota. It's just like anybody who works out (of) the government sector or the private sector. You're expected to put a work product out."

Chief Segotta calls it a �minimum performance standard.� He says all 12 state police districts in New Mexico have different standards depending on crime levels. Segotta says officers have other work to do that could sometimes prevent them from meeting monthly standards, which he says is fine. But Segotta is adamant; he says there isn't quota.

"All traffic stops have to be observed by the officer, and the officer has to have reasonable suspicion and probable cause to issue the citation. And that's what we expect our employees to follow," said Segotta.

"Anytime they have what's called a performance expectation or a performance standard, it really is a quota," says Ousama Rasheed, president-elect of the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He says quotas can pressure officers, especially during DWI stops.

"They stop somebody, and they're a 0.04 or a 0.05, they will make that arrest to meet their quota; and then whatever happens in court, happens in court, but that person still has to hire an attorney, go through the process, be charged criminally."

The chief adds that officers who don't meet their performance standard won't face punishment immediately. A sergeant will work with that officer to correct any problems.

In the meantime, Rasheed recommends drivers obey traffic laws -- as if there's a police officer in the passenger seat with you.

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/s1448...ml?cat=516

[420trvlr]

New Mexico has had quotas for as long as I can remember, and I am close to 50 yrs. old now. They will try to justify it in a variety of ways, but it is still a quota.

Any honest cop will tell you that all they have to do is follow someone down the street and within 4 blocks they can come up with at least 3 things they can stop someone for, no matter how well they drive.

Pick a state, any state, as well as the United States government, and the governments of all are criminal and have declared war on the people. And yet, more and more people want to join up with their respective governments whether as a policeman or whatever job they can find, for job security or what ever. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, is a cop out and only increases the problem.

The 'Boston Tea Party' happened because of a 1/2 cent increase in the tea tax, and yet the American people are taxed somewhere in the neighborhood of 65% now. I have often said over the last 20+ yrs., 'how bad does it have to get before people will decide that they have had enough'? Apparently, pretty bad.

Approximately 3% of the population participated in the revolution and they beat the British. According to the people that do the studies, only 5-6% of the population is gay, and yet look at the enormous advances in the acceptance of gays in our society. Most of the people that I talk to claim to be upset with the current situation in this country, yet hardly anyone will do a thing to try to change it.

Hats off to the stupid bastards that have done so much to spread communism in this country, they have done a fine job while the rest of the country has sat back and let them. And I call them stupid as is evident by the fact that it so obviously failed in Russia, and yet they still seem to think that they can make it work here. In the meantime, all they are really managing to accomplish is a destruction of what was once one of the best countries on the planet. A fine experiment, that for what ever reason has been allowed to fail. How sad.

[Frozin]

Great post, I totally agree. The people of the united states are dumbed down. The most important thing to do is to learn the law's of the country so that you can't be abused and hold the government and its agencies to what the law says.