MyFox
 

keithcpw's Blog

by keithcpw from BIRMINGHAM

Last Post 4 days, 3 hours Ago


$$POLICE: REVENUE IS NUMBER ONE$$
Apr 30, 2008 | 3:13 PM
Category: Political
Report This Post

" The lesser of two evils" has taken on a whole new meaning to me in my older years. I see the news reports of the outlandish crimes committed on the streets of America everyday. Homicide rates out the roof, rapes, drive by shootings, bank robberies and many other unspeakable crimes that our police departments are faced with day and night. All of this is the result of generations of poor and ignorant people raising more poor and ignorant people. The cycle gets worse with every generation until it explodes with violence through desperation. I do not envy the young person wanting to pursue a life in law inforcement these days. 

        The second major problem our police departments face, especially small town departments, is revenue to operate and keep up with our ever growing crime problem and technology. The average law abiding citizen has two foes to face everyday. The criminal and the police revenue needs. One can be about as bad as the other. The point to all of this is with the huge crime problem the police face, we are are all fair game for these small town groups as a revenue source. Most police departments require their officers to maintain, what they call 8 to 10 "contacts" per shift. If you have been pulled over lately, you will find that you are more than likely convicted of something at that point no matter how miniscul. The first word that comes out of their mouth is, "have you been drinking"? Or sometimes it is,"you have been drinking". Of course that is the mother load for any small municipality. With the 0.008 law, you can be convicted if you have taken listerine or Nyquil. I try very hard not to break any law, but everyone makes mistakes. The problem is the police's storm trooper attitude gets in the way of good judgement on who is a criminal and who has simply made a mistake. The Shaun Bell case in New York is a prime example. The poor guy was mowed down with over fifty shots fired and was unarmed on his wedding day for gods sake. The term storm trooper comes to mind again. One other problem is the turnover rate, in small towns it is huge. They do not know the community, they were hired as collection agents not police officers. As long as an officer is contributing to the bottom line, it does not matter whether he or she has delivered any babies or pulled anyone from a burning house lately. Again, money and greed erasing another American value. One other thing, without public trust, the police departments job just became much much more difficult. I do not discount the need for police or the respect they are due because of the danger they face. But our society should not have to fear the over zealous police officer trying to meet quota like a wall street investor to hold on to his or her  job.

11 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 11
Page 1 of 1
tj3891 read my blog view my photos
May 1, 2008 | 3:26 PM

all cops are worthless if ya ask me
greyeagle read my blog
May 1, 2008 | 5:57 PM

when i first moved into this small subburb we had only 3or 4 cars now we have a kangeroo court 40 cars and several unmarked cars suv's an such the mayor worked at goodyear as the main income for this comunnity was steel plant or goodyear but it cut labor an now different mayor has more police an you may think we had a crime syndicate move in here lol but it is scary on one hand you think we had good law abiding people at one time now we must have been taken over by an invisable crime family that run amuck as we sleep (we just don't hear all the crimes or arrests,but the little courtroom has standing room only several speeders an god knows what but where in the line of harrasment come into play as the city pads the budget?it they got rid of half of their policemen favor hires you know how that goes too if some asks can you get my son a job your nephew;or just think we had 2 trash ;ie garbage trucks then still do oh they don't double as trash or garbage truck drivers so you see their only job is to bring in the money it sucks..
tj3891 read my blog view my photos
May 1, 2008 | 10:43 PM

which suburb are you talking about?
BPDMotor6 read my blog view my photos
May 2, 2008 | 4:18 PM

Greyeagle you must live in Argo! I have seen what passes for law in that town and it's a crime! Keithcpw, Your confusing a few issues. First, the DUI law is .08. and it does take more than a few to get to .08.The street level officer has very little to no imput in how the funds are raised. He is told go here and do this. Most of the time the supervisor who is sending he is acting on complaints from the citizens.
In the case of the New York officers I have read a little about it and it seems to me they were a bunch of scared and untrained half-wits, an accident looking for a place to happen! I hate to think such things about a brother officer but anytime one screws up it's that much harder on the rest of us!
Basically your right about most of the rest of what you have said. I have worked for incompetent cheifs who let the mayor run the department. One because he did not care, the other because he did not know how to do it himself. I currently work for Mountain Brook PD and can tell you with all honesty, there is no finer PD in this state! Ask a citizen of Mtn Brook about their officers. That is the best testimony a department can get, from it's citizens! However, we do not have quotas and we are not out trying to drum up revenue to get paid. Show me a department with a good Chief and leadership, that's well run, and I'll show you happy citizens!
ab4hr read my blog
May 3, 2008 | 7:26 PM

A traffic cop could write 50 tickets a day and after trial and court appearance the result of all tickets would not pay for one hour of the cops time. Anyone stupid enough to think the city makes money by having cops write tickets has no right to drive.
ladyrebel100
May 3, 2008 | 10:48 PM

Oh crap...get real,. Who among you would HAVE their jobs at their pay??? Would you like to DIE for what they get paid?? All my life I bragged I had never had a speeding ticket, well..a little town gave me one..and quess what? I deserved it! What's more, I probably deserved a hundred more for the times I wasn't "caught".
greyeagle read my blog
May 4, 2008 | 10:38 PM

"50 tickets could not pay for one hour"?they either make more money than i thought cause at the lasdt court my son 3 tickets on 2 stop signs on no traffic street at night and not more than 3 or 4 cars come by there in a day as it is sidestreet but of the several hundred there the $300 i paid after he worked 40 hours at fire dept was a low number as most of the standing room only had 400 in fines oh court cost 94 dollars i think but i know the total but to me if they make that much no wonder they have to write 50 tickets one told me it was small city policy to make budget but i think if i set my budget an i cut some pay first at mayors then on down the line as well as too many police cars and i still say at some point it crosses a thin line of bleeding its own citizens and does nothing for respect or productive either i live in a city south of gadsden.fact is the reason i moved here was so peaceful 3 or 4 police cars an how you barely knew they were here now everywhere at all service stations and as i said the only thing here that has grown fasterthan housing police dept now small court room still 2 garbage trucks still one postman.but to be honest there is no place for kids to work no production or way to make money as their parents did at steel mill or tire plant;either get college degree an move or work at hospital.
keithcpw read my blog
May 5, 2008 | 9:08 AM

You folks are missing the point. The original subject was meant to shed light on the fact that small town departments use their police as profit centers directed by the town administration. Mountain Brook is mentioned in one resonse and I am sure with the taxes that MB collects they do not have to use these tactics. But when you look at for instance, Odenville in St. Clair County. the other day I passed a young lady that was broke down on the side of the road and there were five police cars at her service. They were not arresting her, they were changing her flat tire. I would say having five cars patrolling a peaceful town like the Odenville/Branchville area, with the price of fuel, is nothing short of mismanagement and pure overkill. This blog was in no way meant to deminish or defame our police officers themselves. They are special people who we are all glad to have on duty. Most are dedicated professionals with a special purpose in their life. With that said, they can become victims of our political system. Even in Mayberry the mayor tryed to run the police department and tell Andy what to do. The only thing I am saying is that the relationship of the public and the police department should not be us against them. By the way the officer from Mountain Brook pointed out the discrepancy about the legal alcohol limit being .08 which is correct. I fat fingered the zero, sorry. One other thing I have to ask, can the gentleman that commented that tickets do not create revenue please explain where those funds go if not to the coffers of the municipality. Remember folks these to
keithcpw read my blog
May 5, 2008 | 9:14 AM

I got cut. Remember folks these towns already collect taxes that if managed correctly should mostly pay for the functions they are responsible for. If they are short they need a referendum to raise city taxes not write my Grandmother a ticket for J-walking. Take the real criminals off the street and stop writing petty tickets to hard working law abiding citizens.
BPDMotor6 read my blog view my photos
May 6, 2008 | 9:16 PM

An issue you may not have thought of that is a hugeproblem in small towns is officer attitude! You get people who could not make it in the big city, settle for jobs in small towns to get a badge! Saddly there are some people how believe that badge gives them the power of God. But with great power comes great responsibility! What you may be seing in your court could be several officers trying to make a name for themselves! The city usually only gets about a dollar or two per ticket, but when your writting tens of thousands it adds up!
noshamejamezzz read my blog view my photos
May 12, 2008 | 11:40 PM

BPDMotor6,I beleive you when you say that you guy's don't have quotas, but why do Mt.Brook and Gardendale P.D.'s thrive on the things that Keith is talking about.And no offence but I've alway's refered to Mt.Brook as the tiny kingdom and Gardendale as a Hoover wannabe.not just these 2 Depts but all of them.When an Officer pulls over a car cause the tag light is out,Thats a sad cop who needs to be aressting criminals instead of cruising around nit picking.
Page 1 of 1


Write your comment below:




keithcpw

FATHER OF TWO, GRANDFATHER OF SIX. BORN AND RAISED IN THE AREA. I BELEIVE IN KEEPING EVERY RIGHT WE HAVE FOUGHT FOR OVER TIME. I BELEIVE IN WORKING AND PROVIDING FOR MY FAMILY WITHOUT GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. I BELEIVE THE GOVERNMENT AT ANY LEVEL ARE EMPLOYEES OF THE PEOPLE. I BELEIVE THERE IS SOME SORT OF CORUPTION AT ALMOST EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO ANY MAYORS OFFICE. I BELEIVE ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD BE HELD TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILTY FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW WHEN THEY ARE CAUGHT. STEPPING DOWN SHOULD NOT MEAN EXEMPTION FROM PROSECUTION BUT SHOULD EXPIDITE THEIR GUILT. I BELEIVE THE GOVERNMENT HAS A FULL PLATE BEFORE THEM WITHOUT TRYING TO RULE AS IF THEY WERE A HIGHER POWER OVER ME. DO YOUR JOB AND STAY OUT OF MY LIFE. KEITH MASON

Member Since: 3/7/2008


 

RSS: XMLWhat is RSS?