# WI State Trooper = Prick **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 25, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wi-state-trooper-prick/276636 "2004-11-25T14:57:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wi-state-trooper-prick/276636/81 "2004-12-05T21:34:30Z")
> [@](#): > > I just wanted to note that despite what millions of people think, money is not on the minds of 99% of civil servants. They don’t get kickbacks, so they don’t really care. But then there’s Louisiana. Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, to be specific. Now, I’m not saying that the local constabulary either (a) has quotas or (b) accepts kickbacks, but, coincidentally, our parish sheriff _is_ the man who collects all money due the parish, from whatever source, for whatever reason. _ **Personally** _. That’s right, our property tax checks are made out to “Harry Lee, Sheriff.” (We at least do get a damned efficient department for our property tax money.) And also coincidentally, Sheriff Harry had stomach-stapling surgery last year. The street behind our house has a 30 mph speed limit on it but is four-lane with almost no traffic lights so is a popular place for speeding, and it was intriguing to see how the speed trap setup where the road curves at the corner near our house increased from the usual 1-2 times per _week_ to 2-3 times per _day_ in the months following Sheriff Harry’s surgery. About eight months later, it went back down to the pre-surgical 1-2 times per week. Nope, I’m not saying Sheriff Harry is pocketing ticket $$ and possibly assigning plum duties to the cops who collect the most $$ for him. But I’m also not blind. Or stupid. Or lacking in awe at the smoothness with which he runs his (allegedly) corrupt department. Yes, we the Jefferson Parish residents are (probably) getting screwed, but we by God are _smiling_ while it happens! ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wi-state-trooper-prick/276636/82 "2004-12-05T21:41:21Z")
This was a while ago, but I actually got scolded for writting _too many_ tickets once. Albeit, they weren’t all traffic cites. I was parking by a high school at 3pm and picking off T.M.N.K. I could get a speeding write and 2 or 3 under age smoking pops every-single-day. $300+ in revenue, all within an hour. These were legit offenses, but you wouldn’t believe how many parents showed up at the next public police & fire commission meeting to bitch! Since then, my bounty hunting days are over. I patrol, take calls, and write very few tickets, only on flagrant violations. Every year I get outstanding performance reviews. Before the ban we had a quota of 1 ticket every 17 hours worked. Where they came up with that strange ratio I have no idea! ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wi-state-trooper-prick/276636/83 "2004-12-06T01:37:46Z")
> [@Spavined Gelding](#): > > Don’t pay the ticket. File a written not guilty plea and find out if the county prosecutor has as much time on his hands as the Troop did. See if the Trooper is willing to take his off-duty day to climb up in front of the local magistrate and explain just why this is an offense that should not have been handled with a friendly word of advice or a warning. You don’t have to actually go to court. All you have to do is make the county attorney think you are willing to. You know the Trooper was thinking that it might be a chicken shit citation but what are the chances that this motorist is going to come back to contest it. If you’re going to do that, you need to also request a trial by jury. That’s almost an ironclad guarantee that the ticket will be thrown out. ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wi-state-trooper-prick/276636/84 "2004-12-06T01:40:28Z")
I hate to climb back into this septic tank of a thread but it is a dull night. **pkbites** , I take it that you are a police officer. I assume that you are at least familiar with the peace officers who work around you – other city cops, county sheriff’s deputies, state highway patrol officers, department of transportation enforcement officers, fish and game officers and Lord knows what else. I challenge you so say with a straight face and a pure heart that you know of no officers who are inclined to write a citation at every opportunity and in situations when other officers in the same geographical area would be inclined to ignore the violation, issue an oral warning or a written warning. Like wise, I challenge you to tell us ( with the same SF & PH) that an officer’s production of citations and arrests is not considered in _some_ departments when considering what officers are attentive to duty, nose to the grind stone guys and what officers are haunting the donut shops and parked in low traffic areas reading Steven King stories. If you are prepared to tell us that just doesn’t happen in and around West Harness Buckle, Wisconsin, then you are operating in a perfect world or you haven’t been paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wi-state-trooper-prick/276636/85 "2004-12-06T05:41:21Z")
> [@Spavined Gelding](#): > > If you are prepared to tell us that just doesn’t happen in and around West Harness Buckle, Wisconsin, then you are operating in a perfect world or you haven’t been paying attention. What part of **(originally posted by PKBITES)**_"I am wondering, though, how other departments changed after the ticket quota ban"_ did you not understand? I obviously, and, already, admitedly, do not know what’s going on up in Northern Bumble Fuck, if I did I wouldn’t have made that statement. Back to the OP: having been on the side of the highway during a traffic stop while somebody went flying by without slowing down or changing lanes, I think the fine imposed is just about right. People need to use some common sense behind the wheel, knowledge of the local laws or not!!! ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wi-state-trooper-prick/276636/86 "2004-12-06T06:08:39Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > Well I’m going to go against type and voice my sympathy. Texas just passed the same law here, in the mentioned by **reeder** and if I hadn’t been specifically watching the news that night (or the ex hadn’t had brought it up himself whilst driving with me in the car while it actually happened), I’d have never known. Certainly because I don’t get out much or pay attention to the TV when someone else has it on. I don’t view it hardly ever on my own. I’m glad you mentioned it! I certainly knew nothing of it. No signs ANYWHERE (and I travel extensively on interstates, US Highways and Texas state highways on a regular basis) and I do not have ANY television access, as not even the standard broadcast channels will come in using power-boosted rabbit ears, tinfoil, metal coathangers, etc. I usually move over if there’s room, and if there’s not I try to slow down (if I notice the pulled-over car, which I sometimes don’t, especially when they’re pulled over under an overpass). I knew it was common sense but I had no idea I could get a ticket for failing to do it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wi-state-trooper-prick/276636.md?page=4)