How do the police feel about being used as revenue agents?

[Nole795]

Anyone who works financial crimes will at times feel like a bill collector who carries a gun. I cant tell you how many cases where you call a suspect who defrauded a business for an interview, then later the business calls your office to drop the investigation because the suspect paid the loss.

[Cass]

Well as far as our town getting revenue, we only get half of the fine itself. If the fine itself is $25 plus costs (making a total fine of $109.50), we only get $12.50 of that. You would have to write a whole lot of tickets at that rate for a town to even be affected that much.

Think of it this way: You only need to write one ticket per hour and that will cover your salary AND there will still be a buck fifty left for a cup of coffee.

[greg72982]

Think of it this way: You only need to write one ticket per hour and that will cover your salary AND there will still be a buck fifty left for a cup of coffee.

Sad isn't it.

[retdetsgt]

Anyone who works financial crimes will at times feel like a bill collector who carries a gun. I cant tell you how many cases where you call a suspect who defrauded a business for an interview, then later the business calls your office to drop the investigation because the suspect paid the loss.

I couldn't see how our guys in fraud could stand it. They'd work for months making a case on a check cashing ring just to see the bad guys get double secret probation or something in court. Or like you said, have the complainant drop the embezzlement case when they got their money back. With identity theft on the rise, there is a movement in Oregon to require minimum sentences for some fraud cases, but for as far back as I can remember, the actual penalty handed out for major fraud is about the same as shoplifting.

The traffic guys in hit and run faced the same thing. They'd work a case and as soon as they found the bad guy, the victim would do an insurance settlement with them and it would go away.

[Safety Steve]

I couldn't see how our guys in fraud could stand it. They'd work for months making a case on a check cashing ring just to see the bad guys get double secret probation or something in court. Or like you said, have the complainant drop the embezzlement case when they got their money back. With identity theft on the rise, there is a movement in Oregon to require minimum sentences for some fraud cases, but for as far back as I can remember, the actual penalty handed out for major fraud is about the same as shoplifting.

The traffic guys in hit and run faced the same thing. They'd work a case and as soon as they found the bad guy, the victim would do an insurance settlement with them and it would go away.

And another slap in the face is when they take all your months and sometimes years of work and run all those cases concurrent! Judges need to forget the word, "concurrent" and use the word, "consecutive" more often. IMO of course.

Be Safe.

[Adrenolize]

And another slap in the face is when they take all your months and sometimes years of work and run all those cases concurrent! Judges need to forget the word, "concurrent" and use the word, "consecutive" more often. IMO of course.

Be Safe.

I agree..the ultimate insult. I always looked at it like, I was a referee throwing a flag and the courts would establish the penalties. It was still hard when you work to put together a great case and all those charges were wrapped up into 1 misdemeanor when you started with 32 felonies (really happened). Each of those charges reflected major inconvenience and real pain for the victim. It ended with the court feeling that the perp needed a symbolic hug to be put on the right path.

The best (non-financial) one was when I had a guy on felony possession, felony eluding, resisting and a slew of traffic citations reduced to improper equipment! Our MO was to charge for everything possible because the DA would throw out a bunch of stuff and we needed to get some stuff for them to work with...but wow!

[Safety Steve]

I agree..the ultimate insult. I always looked at it like, I was a referee throwing a flag and the courts would establish the penalties. It was still hard when you work to put together a great case and all those charges were wrapped up into 1 misdemeanor when you started with 32 felonies (really happened). Each of those charges reflected major inconvenience and real pain for the victim. It ended with the court feeling that the perp needed a symbolic hug to be put on the right path.



The best (non-financial) one was when I had a guy on felony possession, felony eluding, resisting and a slew of traffic citations reduced to improper equipment! Our MO was to charge for everything possible because the DA would throw out a bunch of stuff and we needed to get some stuff for them to work with...but wow!

I never worked those kind of cases, but I interviewed alot of inmates as a Parole Officer that you could tell by reading the offense reports that alot time and man power was invested.

I just had the County Attorney drop one of two tickets I wrote to a truck driver to avoid going to court. More is always better, it gives leverage and something to bargain with!

Be Safe.

Catch a wave for me!

[BP348]

That would be about $568 here after the increased fine for a school zone.

I may be the minority but I think that's ridiculous!! Don't get me wrong anyone caught speeding in a school zone deserves a ticket but all most $600?

That's crazy!!!

[cntryboy0531]

I may be the minority but I think that's ridiculous!! Don't get me wrong anyone caught speeding in a school zone deserves a ticket but all most $600?

That's crazy!!!

I looked at the wrong fine on the schedule. The actual fine would be $454.

[Adrenolize]

The fines in TX are A LOT higher than they are in NC. They also graduate up in amount depending upon how many times you were caught doing the same thing (i.e. seatbelt, no insurance..). I think it goes to show that you just can't fix stupid. Not having insurance isn't smart, but not wearing a seat belt is just stupid. I used to go without all the time, until I saw some of the wrecks I happened upon. I also wouldn't wear one when I was working the 'hood' as it was advantageous to be out and running really quick. I only did this when I was going around 35 or under though. Just took a time or to of jumping out on someone then getting sling shot back into the cruiser. You know humans are the only creature on Earth that will see something that adds to safety and protection and ditch it because it doesn't look cool or is inconvenient. Evolved my ***!

I maintain that the enforcement is up to the officer to throw the flags. Fines and what the judges do is something for the politicians and courts to fight over.

[S-99]

Well alrighty, then.


....that is a bit of a downer thread, Normy. I miss your wheel gun posts. Hell, I miss you.

Well, I miss your Norm and Switch avatar. That reptile avatar is such a downer.

[S-99]

Norm, check out yesterday's article by Larry Copeland in USA Today, "Speeding 'cushion' may dwindle due to recession:"

Speeding 'cushion' may dwindle due to recession - USATODAY.com

EDITED TO ADD: Note mention of..... "anecdotal" evidence.... WTH? (Btw, I got a warning recently, but no one interviewed me, LOL.)

[Ispbear]

I just found out that my state just sneaked in higher fines into the budget bill at the close of the legislative session. I'm not happy! I didn't choose this profession to be a revenue creator for the state. I can tell you that I will be writing more warnings now than citations. We'll see how they like them apples.

[greg72982]

I just found out that my state just sneaked in higher fines into the budget bill at the close of the legislative session. I'm not happy! I didn't choose this profession to be a revenue creator for the state. I can tell you that I will be writing more warnings now than citations. We'll see how they like them apples.

But...But...How will you meet your quotas?!?!?!

[ChevySSP]

Its simple why police officers are sometimes like revenue agents....


people just can't take a good beating like they used to...