Texas police shake down drivers to the tune of $3 millon dollars

[geetrue]

You wouldn't believe this without a link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/05/texas.police.seizures/

Guillory, who practices in nearby Nacogdoches, Texas, estimates authorities in Tenaha seized $3 million between 2006 and 2008, and in about 150 cases -- virtually all of which involved African-American or Latino motorists -- the seizures were improper.
"They are disproportionately going after racial minorities," he said. "My take on the matter is that the police in Tenaha, Texas, were picking on and preying on people that were least likely to fight back."
Daniels told CNN that one of the officers who stopped him tried on some of his jewelry in front of him.
"They asked me, 'What you are doing with this ring on?' I said I had bought that ring. I paid good money for that ring," Daniels said. "He took the ring off my finger and put it on his finger and told me how did it look. He put on my jewelry."

[AVGWarhawk]

Sometimes known as 'police shopping' or 'police mooching'. Happens a lot and this is not a surprise. These cops do give the good cops a bad name but what can one do? Not much. You know, some cops find doors, 'inadvertantly left open' at a major appliance estblishment...yeah sure. Dishwashers for everyone this Christmas....seen that in my own neighborhood. That cop is now used car dealer...go figure.

[Jimbuna]

Could be a nice little racket going on there.

Sadly, it only takes one black sheep to give the rest of the flock a bad name

[GoldenRivet]

im a stones throw from Nacogdoches.

you want to get the crap beat out of your wallet - drive through that town... or Zavalla, Texas... holy crap thats the traffic stop capital of Texas.

[Onkel Neal]

Yeah, Texas cops are among the most notorious when it comes to this kind of thing. Ticket happy too, pretty sad.

[sunvalleyslim]

Come on Neal, don't generalize.....There may be some, but theres got to be the Good Ones Too.....I always like when someone says "and they're ticket happy too". You don't get any more pay for the tickets you write ....So it always begs the question. If you were a Traffic Cop on a 10 hour shift, and expected to write tickets because there's a problem on your beat with people getting killed or seriously hurt. How many tickets would you write a day to solve the problem?........And let's not talk about some cheezy town in Texas that ain't got a problem excepting that 16yr old looking Texas Cop that ain't got a clue as to what the "Real World" is doing.....

[GoldenRivet]

on the other hand i have been pulled over by this very friendly and professional State Trooper on about half a dozen occasions throughout the course of a 2 year period.

he issues me a warning - every single time.

not that i am a speed demon or a bad driver... but he always happens to be in the right place at the right time on my 28 mile commute on the days im running very late for something at work.

[Aramike]

There's always two sides. No doubt there is probably some improper behavior occuring. On the other hand, it'd be interesting to see a follow up of this story in a few months.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by sunvalleyslim

Come on Neal, don't generalize.....There may be some, but theres got to be the Good Ones Too.....I always like when someone says "and they're ticket happy too". You don't get any more pay for the tickets you write ....So it always begs the question. If you were a Traffic Cop on a 10 hour shift, and expected to write tickets because there's a problem on your beat with people getting killed or seriously hurt. How many tickets would you write a day to solve the problem?........And let's not talk about some cheezy town in Texas that ain't got a problem excepting that 16yr old looking Texas Cop that ain't got a clue as to what the "Real World" is doing.....

I know there are good ones... but the bad ones outnumber them, and attract more attention. Cops write tickets because that's an important revenue generator. If safety was their main concern, why do cops break traffic laws left and right on a daily basis? I cannot count how many times I have been passed by a police car (no lights or sirens) that is greatly exceeding the speed limit, or witnessed a cop execute a rolling stop. I guess someone called over the radio "Last one to the donut shops is buying"

[sunvalleyslim]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

I know there are good ones... but the bad ones outnumber them, and attract more attention. Cops write tickets because that's an important revenue generator. If safety was their main concern, why do cops break traffic laws left and right on a daily basis? I cannot count how many times I have been passed by a police car (no lights or sirens) that is greatly exceeding the speed limit, or witnessed a cop execute a rolling stop. I guess someone called over the radio "Last one to the donut shops is buying"

Well Neal, I'm sorry that you have met all the bad ones. And I believe the opposite is true. The Good Ones outnumber the Bad Ones......Maybe we just have a different perspective on "The Job".....I know thousands more good officers then bad. But hey maybe there's a difference between Calif. and Texas in more ways then one....
Here in California not all "Hot Calls" i.e., Burglar There Now, Multi vehicle collision with injuries, Officer needs Assistance, Officers requesting a Back-up, are put out as a Code 3 (Red Light and Siren) responses. And if it is Code 3, only the primary unit goes Code 3. That means that any other cars responding are not authorized to go Code 3. So they're not always trying to be the first ones at the donut shop......

And I will agree that tickets are a revenue generator, but they are also a great motivator to get people to comply with safety laws. Hey if people could use common sense and remain courteous to one another than you probably wouldn't need motorcops.....But that ain't the real world.......I just saw way too many injured and killed as a result careless "Give A Sh-t About the Other Driver" idiots that I never felt sorry about issuing a ticket to gain compliance........Until things change with the human race, it's still gonna be "Press Hard, Three Copies".................