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Michigan bill to outlaw ticket quotas moves forward

A bill that is trying to beat the clock in the Michigan Legislature is intended to protect police from requirements to issue tickets to boost job performance results.

The House voted 103-2 to advance a bill that would prohibit an officer’s performance evaluation system from requiring a predetermined number of citations. Ticket writing in general still could be considered. The bill – HB5287 – has been forwarded to the Senate for further consideration. But time is short to get the bill moved to the governor before the session ends in December.

Ticket quotas have been outlawed in Michigan for 30 years. However, since the late ’80s, a loophole has allowed tickets issued to be used in evaluations of traffic enforcement officers, as long as ticket writing is weighed equally among other job criteria.

The Detroit News published a list of communities that appear to have taken full advantage of the exemption allowing ticket mandates. Cities had requirements for their traffic officers to write anywhere from 15 tickets a month to 60 tickets a month.

Sen. Glenn Anderson, D-Westland, has said that ticket quotas have no business being included in any evaluation of a police officer. His bill would outlaw its use.

“In effect, it would give the discretion to the police officer whether or not a ticket is warranted instead of a department having an unwritten, but well-known, policy that officers have to issue X number of tickets by a set period of time,” Anderson previously told Land Line.

Anderson’s reason for offering the bill was to correct how the state allows police officers to be evaluated.

“If issuing a ticket to someone deserving would have the greatest impact to alter their driving habit, police should be free to do that,” he said.

Some police chiefs defend the rule. They say officers don’t have a quota to meet. The number of citations issued – as well as warnings – is used to determine how well officers are doing their job.

To view other legislative activities of interest for Michigan, click here .

Editor’s Note: Please share your thoughts with us about the legislation included in this story. Comments may be sent to [email protected] .

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