Posted on 07/07/2005 4:15:06 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A new policy requires state troopers to stop at least one vehicle an hour, but the driver need not be ticketed, and the chief said the rule steers clear of an anti-quota law.
Col. Paul Grimstad said the rule, which took effect Monday, is intended to reduce traffic accidents and drunken driving.
Montana had the highest number of alcohol-related deaths per miles traveled in a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report released in December 2003.
Officers and sergeants now average 0.88 stops an hour while patrolling highways, Grimstad said.
A state law passed this year bars law enforcement agencies from imposing minimum numbers of arrests or citations for an officer. But the law says the term "quota" excludes "use of generally accepted management techniques that employ performance objectives as part of an overall employee evaluation."
Grimstad said supervisors who are evaluating officers will review their traffic stops and alcohol-related tickets and could suggest further training if someone is below target.
Unlawful Search and Seizure? Probable Cause? Hello?!?!?
It's been years since I quit drinking and I can't pay them to pull me over.
This a POS policy in my humble opinion. If you can't get enough traffic stops out of your employees you need to look at your hiring policies or your management policies.
You either are hiring lousy people or your management is turning motivated officers into jaded, do as little as possible, it's us against them, burnouts.
FYI
Who cares?
Apparently not America, any longer.
Or...
People aren't breaking the law? Is that possible? Y'know, break the law, you get stopped, follow the law and you don't, that sort of thing?
Sheesh.
This could get interesting....these law enforcement types usually do things in stages....wonder what's next?
Not me, of course...
i am not surprised by the statistics cited for Montana. while traveling there last year, i noticed that there is at least one bar and often two at every little crossroad. I remember thinking to myself "these folks must really be hard drinkers".
That's a pretty bad statistic, as Montana problably has the highest number of miles per trip on average of any state. Everything in that state is s p r e a d out.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized, 'cept in Montana
LOL
I remember visiting Montana as a kid,, NO Speed Limit, beautiful country.. I got relatives in Helena and Great Falls and thereabouts.
at least two citizens/day brought into the state trooper station?
Speaking from my limited LEO experience. I could make a traffic stop every 3 minutes if I could write tickets that fast. Finding someone to pull over is much easier than finding a safe place to make the stop.
We are becoming more of a police State every day - Police Departments are out of control - And they are always doing it under the guise of "our safety" - Pure BS -
Stops every 30 minutes...
...every 15....
...every 5...
What the hell, checkpoints.
The daytime speed limit in Montana used to be "reasonable and prudent" instead of a specific number. Did that change?
Not me, of course...
"A new policy requires state troopers to stop at least one vehicle an hour, but the driver need not be ticketed"
So they can basically pull over as many drivers as they want for nothing, but the minimum is one per hour.
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