Uncovering The Truth: Do Michigan Police Departments Enforce Ticket Quotas?

I've heard that you should avoid speeding at the end of the month because police officers are more likely to pull you over because they need to hit a ticket quota for each month.

Is that true or just a rumor?

Turns out it might be a little of both.

Do Police In Michigan Have Traffic Ticket Quotas?

In Michigan, ticket quotas are illegal.

The state law, enacted in 2010, prohibits police departments from requiring officers to issue a specific number of traffic citations.

This legislation was introduced to address concerns about the pressure on officers to generate revenue through ticketing, which could undermine public trust in law enforcement and detract from their primary role of ensuring public safety.

Despite this legal prohibition, reports have surfaced indicating that some police departments may still engage in practices that resemble ticket quotas.

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For example, the Lincoln Park Police Department faced scrutiny for a policy requiring officers to issue at least one ticket per shift to qualify for certain overtime opportunities.

This practice was highlighted by an officer who blew the whistle on the department's internal rules, which he argued pressured officers to prioritize ticket writing over community service.

While formal quotas are banned, an "informal quota" system has been suggested in some contexts.

For instance, there have been claims that officers feel compelled to maintain a certain level of productivity in terms of traffic stops and citations to meet expectations set by their superiors.

This has raised concerns about potential racial disparities in traffic stops, as officers may disproportionately patrol urban areas where they are more likely to encounter violations.

WXYZ Channel 7 in Detroit investigated a whistle blowers report that ticket quotas are still happening in Michigan.