Florida 'speed trap' town disbands police force

[dmcowen674]

10-4-2014

http://news.yahoo.com/florida-speed-trap-town-disbands-105100625.html

Florida 'speed trap' town disbands police force

The tiny town of Waldo in north Florida has such a notorious reputation as a speed trap that AAA erected billboards to warn drivers about it, but all that may be about to change.

On Tuesday, weeks after the police chief and interim chief resigned due to state investigations into ticket quotas, mishandling of evidence and other issues, Waldo's City Council disbanded its police force.


About half of the town's roughly $1 million budget comes from citations, according to its budget.

 

[dmcowen674]

Good

Everyone knows they were just ticketing out of state drivers for the revenue.

Thousands of bogus tickets were handed out every year.

 

[The Merg]

And you know the tickets were bogus, why?

According to the article, even citizens believe there was a speeding problem in the town.

And the disbandment of the department does not seem to be related to the fact that they wrote tickets. The only connection is that the interim chief was trying to make a strict quota, however, that implies that before he was in charge there was no strict quota.

As long as there is ample opportunity for people to slow down and noticed that the speed is being lowered, I don't see what the problem is. If you are speeding, you are speeding. You can get a ticket for that. there are plenty of roads were icy live where the speed limit is 55 and then drops down to 25 or 30 because you are going through a small town.

 

[JEDIYoda]

According to the article, even citizens believe there was a speeding problem in the town.

What those citizens believe and think is not at issue.....those citizens also realize their taxes will go up without that "bogus" revenue...lol

 

[The Merg]

What those citizens believe and think is not at issue.....those citizens also realize their taxes will go up without that "bogus" revenue...lol

Possibly, but once again, how do you know it's "bogus" revenue? If you're speeding and you get caught, why shouldn't you get a ticket?

 

[Matt1970]

Maybe not bogus but more like ones any normal department wouldn't have written.

 

[MrCassdin]

Mobile tax collectors.

I remember there was a town in Chicagoland like this at one point, the entire town was like 1 mile wide. Only had like 15 residents, all worked for "the city". They wrote tickets like mad. Eventually the state came in and closed them down.

 

[The Merg]

Maybe not bogus but more like ones any normal department wouldn't have written.

But we don't know that though. One department near me requires that to stop someone for speeding via a radar, they have to be going 10 mph over. There is no restriction if they pace the vehicle though.

So, it could be that they didn't write anyone for less than 10 mph. Of course, this is all speculation.

- Merg

 

[NoStateofMind]

Possibly, but once again, how do you know it's "bogus" revenue? If you're speeding and you get caught, why shouldn't you get a ticket?

I'll bite, law dog.

Who's the victim?

 

[The Merg]

I'll bite, law dog.



Who's the victim?

So, you don't follow traffic laws at all as long it is not hurting someone?

- Merg

 

[NoStateofMind]

So, you don't follow traffic laws at all as long it is not hurting someone?

- Merg

You didn't answer the question just like a politician. Are you going to answer or deflect?

 

[The Merg]

Here's an answer in context with this thread and then you can answer my question.

If the speed limit is 50 mph and drops to 30 mph as it passes through a town and you drive through at 50 mph, you are creating a dangerous situation for people in the town. The lower speed limit has been picked as the speed that people can safely drive through the area. So, have you actually harmed someone, no, but you are creating a situation that is more dangerous than it needs to be. Speed limits are there to reduce the potential of accidents for the type of roadway and location they are posted for.

- Merg

 

[Paul98]

Of course these were bogus the whole system there was setup to write and excessive amount of tickets. Only a knuckle dragging idiot would attempt to defend this.

Looks that the residents of that town/police force are getting what they deserved.

 

[NoStateofMind]

Here's an answer in context with this thread and then you can answer my question.

If the speed limit is 50 mph and drops to 30 mph as it passes through a town and you drive through at 50 mph, you are creating a dangerous situation for people in the town. The lower speed limit has been picked as the speed that people can safely drive through the area. So, have you actually harmed someone, no, but you are creating a situation that is more dangerous than it needs to be. Speed limits are there to reduce the potential of accidents for the type of roadway and location they are posted for.

- Merg

Wow this is turning into a case study of how law enforcement/politicians dodge questions. Why are you afraid to answer? Who is the victim?

 

[The Merg]

Technically, it's a victimless offense. It's not a crime to speed. It's a traffic infraction. So, does that mean you don't need to follow that law?

Why don't you answer that question now?

 

[NoStateofMind]

it's a victimless offense. It's not a crime to speed. It's a traffic infraction. So, does that mean you don't need to follow that law?

Why don't you answer that question now?

FTFY

Where there's no victim there's no crime. Traffic infractions are no different. Who's the offended party making the claim?

 

[The Merg]

So, you still haven't answered my question... Since traffic laws are victimless, does that mean you don't follow them then?

It's a traffic infraction to go through a red light, but if you don't hit anyone it's okay?

- Merg

 

[dmcowen674]

And you know the tickets were bogus, why?

If you don't know the situation you shouldn't open your mouth.

 

[The Merg]

If you don't know the situation you shouldn't open your mouth.

So you know the situation then?

- Merg

 

[dmcowen674]

So you know the situation then?

Yes, have friends there and have been there many times through the years.

 

[Darwin333]

Possibly, but once again, how do you know it's "bogus" revenue? If you're speeding and you get caught, why shouldn't you get a ticket?

Half of a town, city, county, whatevers revenue should not come from citations. That turns the police into a revenue generating entity instead of a law enforcement entity.

Why do you think he was trying to institute quotas, the towns budget required the police to continue writing at least as many citations. That is never ever a good thing and when that is the case this is usually the best possible outcome.

 

[TheVrolok]

I've driven through there a few times, always chuckled at the billboards warning about the speed traps.

 

[infoiltrator]

In a tourist town in Vermont, when leaving there is a 50 mph speed limit sign.
Area is totally deserted, no sign of habitation.
If you resume 50 mph before you pass the sign you will discover a local cop in the bushes just past the sign.
He will cheerfully acknowledge you were legal until you saw the sign.
Pay or return for court date.

 

[sao123]

And you know the tickets were bogus, why?

According to the article, even citizens believe there was a speeding problem in the town.

And the disbandment of the department does not seem to be related to the fact that they wrote tickets. The only connection is that the interim chief was trying to make a strict quota, however, that implies that before he was in charge there was no strict quota.

As long as there is ample opportunity for people to slow down and noticed that the speed is being lowered, I don't see what the problem is. If you are speeding, you are speeding. You can get a ticket for that. there are plenty of roads were icy live where the speed limit is 55 and then drops down to 25 or 30 because you are going through a small town.

Not in the US. There has to be a 45 zone in between.
FHWA mandates that state and federal highways, the maximum speed drop is 10mph between adjacent speed zones, and a maximal drop of 15mph when transitioning from limited access to non-limited access. Each speed zone also has a minimal segment length, designed to prevent this type of situation.

 

[NoStateofMind]

So, you still haven't answered my question... Since traffic laws are victimless, does that mean you don't follow them then?

Absolutely.

It's a traffic infraction to go through a red light, but if you don't hit anyone it's okay?

- Merg

Traffic lights are there for safety not for infraction purposes. Yes its okay to go through a red light but that doesn't remove you from the consequences.