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Cop Fired for Speaking Out Against Ticket and Arrest Quotas

Tracy Oppenheimer | July 24, 2013

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Auburn, Alabama is home to sprawling plains, Auburn University, and a
troubling police force. After the arrival of a new police chief in 2010, the
department entered an era of ticket quotas and worse.

“When I first heard about the quotas I was appalled,” says former Auburn
police officer Justin Hanners, who claims he and other cops were given
directives to hassle, ticket, or arrest specific numbers of residents per shift.
“I got into law enforcement to serve and protect, not be a bully.”

Hanners blew the whistle on the department’s tactics and was eventually fired
for refusing to comply and keep quiet. He says that each officer was required to
make 100 contacts each month, which included tickets, arrests, field interviews,
and warnings. This equates to 72,000 contacts a year in a 50,000 person town.
His claims are backed up by audio recordings of his superiors he made. The
Auburn police department declined requests to be interviewed for this story.

“There are not that many speeders, there are not that many people running red
lights to get those numbers, so what [the police] do is they lower their
standards,” says Hanners. That led to the department encouraging
officers to arrest people that Hanners “didn’t feel like had broken the
law.”

Former Reason staffer Radley Balko, now an investigative reporter
for the Huffington Post and author of
the new book, Rise
of the Warrior Cop, says that this isn’t just a nuisance, it infringes
on public safety.

“You have a policy that encourages police to create petty crimes and ignore
serious crimes, and that’s clearly the opposite of what we want our police to be
doing,” says Balko.

Hanners repeatedly voiced his concerns through his chain of command, and the
department responded that these requirements are necessary for increasing
productivity.

Yet Hanners firmly believes that the quotas are entirely revenue driven.

“I had no intention of dropping it,” says Hanners, “This is a problem in more
places than Auburn, and I think once the people know that they can hold their
public officials accountable, it’ll change.”

The police chief singled out by Hanners retired this July, citing medical
reasons.

About 7 minutes.

Written and produced by Tracy Oppenheimer. Camera by Alex Manning.

Music by The Jowe Head Band, “For Whom the Bell Tolls.”

Scroll down for downloadable versions and subscribe to ReasonTV’s YouTube Channel to receive
notifications when new material goes live.

HD
Version (MOV file)

MP4
for iPod

Audio-only
version (MP3 file)

Tracy Oppenheimer is a producer at Reason TV.

Follow Tracy Oppenheimer on Twitter

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VIEW COMMENTS
(96) | LEAVE
A COMMENT

Editor's Note: We invite comments and
request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any
responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them.
Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We
reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason at any time. Report abuses.

Eduard van Haalen| 7.24.13 @ 12:23PM |#

"It's a goal, not a quota!"

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WTF| 7.24.13 @ 12:27PM |#

You know, that is the perfect illustration for "distinction without a
difference".

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C. S. P. Schofield| 7.24.13 @ 2:39PM |#

I notice that these spams seem to always be about females. Which leads me
to scurrilous conjectures about what they are doing for that money.

reply to this

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itsnotmeitsyou| 7.24.13 @ 2:52PM |#

It's female privilege. Males don't make nearly as much for doing the same
kind of "work" on the internet. It's just the stripcam matriarchy trying to
keep men oppressed and seen as inferior nude models.

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zafina222| 7.24.13 @ 8:35PM |#

Madison. true that Rebecca`s c0mment is great... on friday I bought a great
Dodge when I got my check for $5286 this month and-over, ten grand last month.
this is certainly the nicest-work Ive ever done. I actually started seven
months/ago and practically straight away got me at least $87 per hour. I
follow this great link.... WEP6.COM
Go to website and click home for more
details.

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Hyperion| 7.24.13 @ 12:27PM |#

Exactly, let's call it something else, and then it's ok.

Those aren't murder drones! They're remote controlled ensurers of world
peace and harmony.

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anon| 7.24.13 @ 12:31PM |#

You guys are learning Ray Kelley's language now.

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Eduard van Haalen| 7.24.13 @ 12:31PM |#

I was making an affirmative-action joke.

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Almanian!| 7.24.13 @ 12:33PM |#

So, RACIST!

Why are you RACIST! Eduard?

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Hyperion| 7.24.13 @ 12:34PM |#

Everyone at H&R is racist. Why else would we be posting on a site that
Ron Paul would find interesting?

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Killazontherun| 7.24.13 @ 12:47PM |#

I'm the raciest racist to ever race his way to Racistopiaville. Why does
the sign say Gay Town?

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Vote| 7.25.13 @ 9:17AM |#

The Chicken Little theory for Progs...

"It's RACISM!!!"

Finally the liberals and race whor's have diminished the word to little
meaning. Add "Homophobe", "Bigot", TeaBagger" and "Wingnut" to the list of
ineffective squeals, vomited by amateurs with weak, overused arguments, seldom
based on facts!

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Almanian!| 7.24.13 @ 12:32PM |#

Colt Peacemaker gun

LGM-118 Peacekeeper missile

And now the "Peace and Harmony" Drone.

And man's growth and advancement continues...

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Hyperion| 7.24.13 @ 12:26PM |#

Well, at least we now know that a cop can be fired for something.

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Neilo| 7.24.13 @ 9:13PM |#

Sadly as this article shows, for doing his job right.

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| 7.24.13 @
12:29PM |#

Balkoooooooooooo!

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Almanian!| 7.24.13 @ 12:33PM |#

Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow

/good old days

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Eduard van Haalen| 7.24.13 @ 12:34PM |#

Thank you *so much* for that image.

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Hugh Akston| 7.24.13 @ 12:43PM |#

We all talk about kicking Almanian in the balls, but Radley's the only one
actually doing something about it.

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Almanian!| 7.24.13 @ 12:59PM |#

Hey!

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SugarFree| 7.24.13 @ 1:17PM |#

Don't whine. Why else do you even keep those things around if we aren't
supposed to kick them?

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Eduard van Haalen| 7.24.13 @ 12:31PM |#

A couple questions:

Why do we only hear Tracy Oppenheimer's voice, but don't get to *see*
her?

Also, I wonder if there's anyone in Auburn, Alabama who sympathizes with
libertarian causes who might help this guy? Does anyone know of
anyone?

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| 7.24.13 @
12:37PM |#

The ACLU?

HAHAHAHAAHAA! I crack myself up.

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Hyperion| 7.24.13 @ 12:37PM |#

Everyone in Bammy is obviously toothless and illiterate redneck racists. Or
they wouldn't be in the South.

So, there's your answer, they can't read, so how would they know about
it?

/blue state democrat

But, seriously, I for one, don't know anyone in Auburn.

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Floridian| 7.24.13 @ 12:53PM |#

I don't care for Auburn, but I like my truck.

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TomJB| 7.26.13 @ 6:57AM |#

I live close to there due to work. Although I agree with the ridiculousness
of the new policy in Auburn, I can, for certain, contradict one of Mr Hanners'
statements. There *ARE* that many people running red lights down here. Its why
insurance rates are so high and why when your light turns green, you need to
wait for the 2 or 3 other cars who run their red.

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Somebody else| 7.24.13 @ 12:47PM |#

Something tells me that a town that's the home of the Mises Institute might
have a libertarian or two there.

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Eduard van Haalen| 7.24.13 @ 12:47PM |#

(That was what I was alluding to)

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creech| 7.24.13 @ 1:29PM |#

Well, did the cop express any pro-Confederate views?

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k0nane| 7.25.13 @
1:16AM |#

Auburn resident and libertarian reporting for duty. I've seen Gary Johnson
signs and Libertarian bumper stickers - so Institute aside, there's a few of
us around.

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wareagle| 7.25.13 @ 1:44PM |#

ah, the smell of progress.

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Killazontherun| 7.24.13 @ 12:52PM |#

Her boss being concerned about the fuzzy definition of a hostile work
environment these days?

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Fluffy| 7.24.13 @ 1:29PM |#

Why do we only hear Tracy Oppenheimer's voice, but don't get to *see*
her?

Here you go:

http://reason.com/people/tracy-oppenheimer/all

She's really very pretty.

Just like Ekins.

I think we need to investigate the Jacket's hiring practices.

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| 7.24.13 @
12:36PM |#

"What you are left with are....the bullies"

For the FOP and police chiefs, and most citizens, this is feature, not a
bug.

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JW| 7.24.13 @ 1:47PM |#

It's just a few bad apples! It's not systemic at all!

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| 7.24.13 @
12:37PM |#

Do the police have a dog shooting quota as well?

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Hyperion| 7.24.13 @ 12:43PM |#

If they do, I think most departments around the country are meeting or
exceeding the quotas.

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UnCivilServant| 7.24.13 @ 1:16PM |#

Actually, the quota is higher than the number of dogs available to shoot.
So they're discouraging anti-overpopulation efforts in order to create enough
dogs to shoot.

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gaoxiaen| 7.25.13 @ 7:14PM |#

They do pro bono work/ target practice at the local dog pound.

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Locke| 7.24.13 @ 12:37PM |#

Excellent vid Reason! This practice needs to stop. That sergeant needs to
get his ass fired. This isn't what police are supposed to do.

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Hyperion| 7.24.13 @ 12:41PM |#

what police are supposed to do

Protect the political elite class and terrorize citizens,
apparently.

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Locke| 7.24.13 @ 12:48PM |#

Yeah, that seems to be the goal.

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Hyperion| 7.24.13 @ 12:40PM |#

We live in a seriously fucked up world.

Most of the top headlines over at DR today, are about the antics of Weiner.
I mean, I personally find the guy a little disgusting, but what kind of a
world do we live in, when people are more disgusted by a guy who sends women
pictures of his dick, than with a President who murders foreign women and
children in drone attacks, and who has complete contempt for our constitution
and laws?

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Hugh Akston| 7.24.13 @ 12:45PM |#

What kind of a world do we live in where a man dressed up as a bat
gets all of my press?

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Locke| 7.24.13 @ 12:49PM |#

This town needs an enema!

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Anonymous Coward| 7.24.13 @ 1:12PM |#

Heh heh. Weiner antics.

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Paul.| 7.24.13 @ 12:49PM |#

Now, had this same cop shot someone in the face during a traffic stop
because he thought he saw a 'reach', he'd still be on the job.

It's about priorities, people.

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Agoraphobic| 7.24.13 @ 12:49PM |#

This cop has big brass ones ( and so does Balko, for that matter. How is he
not getting harassed/arrested daily for what he does?) I hope someone takes
his case and this stuff gets some traction.

If we had more LEOs like him, we'd be in good shape. Dare I say if he (in
his former capacity as a cop) ever came to my house, I might let him meet my
dog? I have a feeling he lacks that reach-for-the-gun reflex in the presence
of domesticated animals.

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Paul.| 7.24.13 @ 12:54PM |#

If we had more LEOs like him, we'd be in good shape.

Modern governments cast off talent like a kid throwing a frisbee.

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Agoraphobic| 7.24.13 @ 12:58PM |#

If by "kid" you mean "president", by "throwing" you mean "launching," and
by "frisbee" you mean "drone strike," then yes, I agree.

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sarcasmic| 7.24.13 @ 1:08PM |#

This is why there are no good cops. They're not welcome within cop
culture.

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Anonymous Coward| 7.24.13 @ 1:16PM |#

Hanners blew the whistle on the department’s tactics and was eventually
fired for refusing to comply and keep quiet. He says that each officer was
required to make 100 contacts each month, which included tickets, arrests,
field interviews, and warnings.

Cops are revamping the old Roman Empire policy of "tax farming." Once the
Emperor got his cut, whatever the tax-man had was his to keep.

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Sidd Finch| 7.24.13 @ 1:32PM |#

The loveliest village on the plains is not lovelier than Tracy. I haz a
sad.

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| 7.24.13 @
2:05PM |#

Uh....I thought ticket quotas were strictly verboten?

Cant the receivers of tickets since this policy as in effect sue the
dogshit out of the city?

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Alice Bowie| 7.24.13 @ 2:14PM |#

This cop fellow put it perfectly:

"Cops should interfere with people at the minimum while trying to go after
the x% that ar crimals."

It's sad that he got fired.

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Anders| 7.24.13 @ 2:22PM |#

A bit surprised to see it in a small town. This is a big city trick
like

Stacking: Getting a suspect to have other (unrelated) crimes 'taken into
consideration' before going to trial. Clears down the list of open crimes and
the defendant is pleads them out to nothing.

Re-categorizing: Rape becomes sexual assault, attempted murder becomes
aggravated assault.

Quick wins: Hand to hand drug busts etc.

These are all common tricks to improve the stats for the brass. You want to
see a reduction in crime - no problem Mr. Mayor! Watch this!

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Caleb Turberville| 7.24.13 @ 2:45PM |#

Jeez, you'd think the police department that somehow didn't pick up on a
man dumping large amounts of spike 80df at the busiest intersection in town
would stop to think about their priorities.

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Caleb Turberville| 7.24.13 @ 2:48PM |#

By the way, when are we going to get a Reason TV vid about the drug bust
that nabbed 70 students in Tuscaloosa?

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AlgerHiss| 7.24.13 @ 3:42PM |#

Most folks have no idea that ticket writing is a billion dollar industry:
And we’re weak sheep for putting up with this nonsense.

Several years ago, The National Motorists Association overtook the old AAA
as the driving public’s best friend. (AAA became nothing more than an
insurance company agitating for more government at all levels.)

NMA is a calm, respectable voice of reason that usually shines the truth on
issues such as speed trapping, checkpoints, red light cameras, speed cameras
and the like. Their site is:

http://www.motorists.org/

And no, I don’t work for them. But I am a dues paying member.

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jcwconsult| 7.25.13 @ 2:48PM |#

Thanks, AlgerHiss - glad you are a member and I wish we had more. I am a
Life Member of the NMA in Michigan. We helped get a law passed here that
prohibits ANY use of numerical ticket numbers in the evaluation of a police
officer. Ticketing for revenue is ALWAYS 100% WRONG.

It is illegal in Michigan (though still practiced in places) and should be
illegal everywhere.

James C. Walker, Life Member-NMA

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AlgerHiss| 7.24.13 @ 3:56PM |#

The Auburn "police" department's website is:

http://www.auburnalabama.org/police/Default.aspx?PageID=96

Every Chamber of Commerce enjoys knowing what everyone thinks of their
cities. The Auburn Chamber of Commerce is:

http://www.auburnchamber.com/

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Jim Pook| 7.25.13 @ 3:13PM |#

I sent an email to the Chamber of Commerce and got this reply:

Mr. Pook,
We appreciate your email and are sharing all thoughts and
concerns with our city manager, Charlie Duggan.

Thank you,
Jennifer Fincher

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ThatSkepticGuy| 7.24.13 @ 3:56PM |#

Gee, and here every cop I've ever had the misfortune of speaking to angrily
insists that they DON'T have quotas to meet.

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in4mation| 7.24.13 @ 4:24PM |#

What's the dog shooting quota?

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Death Rock and Skull| 7.24.13 @ 5:54PM |#

Auburn sucks. I don't care for Auburn.

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| 7.24.13 @
6:20PM |#

A friend at Auburn pointed me to a Facebook page
that was set up for him 4 hours ago and now has over 1500 likes.

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Fist of Etiquette| 7.24.13 @ 6:59PM |#

Drudge effect?

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SteveThomas| 7.24.13 @ 7:57PM |#

Police officers do not "produce" anything. They are there to enforce the
law, serve and protect the public. When the Chief says he wants to increase
"productivity", he is admitting that they are exceeding their charter and
being used as a revenue producing agency. That is a conflict of interest with
the citizenry. Any police department that views itself as a source of revenue
should be disbanded, and the village, town or city prohibited from having
their own police force. That may place an added burden on the Sheriff's
office, but it will send a much needed message.

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Luddite| 7.25.13 @ 9:57AM |#

This, a thousand times this. Police do not make fucking widgets. There is
no productivity to gauge.

The only metric the cops should be working towards is: "is our town
reasonably devoid of crime". Anything else is bullshit.

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FoolishCop| 7.24.13 @ 8:28PM |#

We had quotas in the town I worked in, only they were called "performance
standards." Quotas are illegal, performance standards aren't. And towns do
rely upon the fees they generate, even budgeting for them. When we hd an
unofficial slowdown -- you couldn't officially do that either, that was
illegal too -- everyone got hopping mad.

The town manager came down on the chief, who laid into his captains, and so
on down the chain of command. The sergeants then became the henchmen. Some
didn't like it, others got off on it. And you couldn't discipline for not
writing tickets -- quotas are illegal after all -- but they could make your
life hell otherwise. Reports were kicked back, sergeants rode your post
looking for things for you to do. They would just bear down hard on anyone
that didn't produce.

I worked in a town that was smaller than Auburn and while we didn't have a
number quite so high as 100 contacts a month, we still had to produce several
tickets a day.

Most cops don't want to issue if they don't have to. To a certain extent,
the "standards" were to justify his existence. If he wasn't writing tickets,
and wasn't making arrests, what was he doing for his pay? On the other hand,
it did lead to cases that could have been considered harassment. While we
tried not to hit the local resident too much -- they were the ones paying our
salaries -- obviously you inevitably did.

As one of our officers once noted, if it walks like a duck, and talks like
a duck...it's a quota!

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darkflame| 7.24.13 @ 8:46PM |#

I used to go to Auburn University, it really is a quiet college town. I'm
proud that this cop is standing up for whats right.

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reason1984| 7.24.13 @ 9:09PM |#

In many communities the police are no more than armed tax
collectors.

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BrendaMitchell| 7.24.13 @ 10:04PM |#

what Jonathan implied I'm surprised that you able to get paid $8990 in a
few weeks on the internet. have you read this site... http://www.can99.com/

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[email-masked]| 7.24.13 @ 10:05PM |#

My last year of undergrad at Auburn was 2010. I do seem to remember the
sudden increase in insurance checkpoints (always at my neighborhood since
there was a huge residential population and only one way to College Street,
the main drag) and general police dickery.

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chucktrotter| 7.24.13 @ 11:22PM |#

Am presently reading "Rise of the Warrior Cop." Drivers that believe
they'll get the benefit of a doubt are usually fooling themselves. The "bean
counters" run our police departments. A few hundred here and a few hundred
there means bigger budgets for our police departments. I have seen traffic
officers lie under oath in order to insure a false charge!

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Smiddy| 7.25.13 @ 7:37AM |#

"He says that each officer was required to make 100 contacts each month,
which included tickets, arrests, field interviews, and warnings. This equates
to 72,000 contacts a year in a 50,000 person town."

100 contacts is 1200 a year, not 72000.
Assuming they get two weeks
vacation, that's 24 contacts a week
Assuming they work a 40 hour week,
which cops never do, they usually work overtime, that's only 4 or 5 contacts a
day. Unless there's something more to the eye, I don't believe asking a cop to
get out of his car 4 or 5 times a day and speak with someone, conduct arrests,
write tickets or just issue warnings, amounts to a ticket quota system that
requires a whistleblower, it seems tailor made to make them get off their
asses and do the bare minimum.

Ignore the above observations if your error wasn't in the 72,000 number but
was in the 100 contacts a month. I can't believe this is the case because the
number is too high. If the yearly contact requirement IS 72k, even with a
federal work year of 270 work days, you'd have 266 contacts a day. That
doesn't seem possible.

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D.D.| 7.25.13 @ 8:01AM |#

The other possibility is the quota was 100 contacts per month per officer.
This would result in 1200 contacts a year per officer. 72000 / 1200 = 60
officers, in the town of Auburn?

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Smiddy| 7.25.13 @ 10:03AM |#

Yes, sorry, I rambled on a bit. My point was making the officer average 5
events a day, whether they be a ticket, warning, arrest, or just an interview,
doesn't really threaten that a quota system is going to overwhelm the
community with harassing tickets. It will however, harrass lazy officers who
don't already meet these minimal requirements. Unless there's something more,
I don't feel the whistleblower has made his argument.

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ExAuburnCop| 7.25.13 @ 1:18PM |#

Auburn patrol officers are currently on a 48 hour work week. 4 days on
shift then 4 days off (only if there is no mandatory overtime). So on average
each officer has 14 or 15 days a month to make the 100 contacts which equals
about 6-7 contacts a day. 60% of those contacts are required to be traffic
tickets, arrests, parking tickets, non-traffic tickets, etc. Last I checked
there were 109 sworn officers employed by the City of Auburn but only about 60
assigned to the patrol division at any given time. So 60 tickets a month times
12 months times 60 officers on patrol equals 43,200 tickets a year for the
department.

One of the big problems is that over the past few years the number of
tickets written has gone from around 11,000 to 32,000 from 2000 through 2011.
For comparison, the number of traffic accidents only rose from around 1,500 to
1,700 during those years. Getting the required number of contacts is not a
problem if the administration only wants contacts. They are asking for
specific contacts like traffic tickets and arrests which look good on federal
grant applications. Most of the money from traffic tickets is earmarked for
specific programs throughout the state but grant money can be given to a
department for their use only.

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Ted Unlis| 7.25.13 @ 9:04AM |#

As LE veteran of 33 years, I felt compelled to let any reader of this
article who knows nothing about good old fashioned routine police work that
any officer who complains about having to make 100 contacts a month IS LAZY!
Let's put it in perspective. First of all 100 contacts a month is 5 contacts a
day, and the definition of contact by this department is tickets, warnings,
field interviews, or arrests. This is not a quota, a quota would mean so many
TICKETS per month. The only way an officer actually doing his/her job could
not make 5 CONTACTS PER DAY would be by driving around all day without ever
getting out of the patrol car, or hanging out at the coffee shop or squad room
all day. Sounds like this loser needed to be fired and the Chief needs to be
commended for getting rid of the loafer.

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Smiddy| 7.25.13 @ 10:45AM |#

I have to agree. If the definition of "contact" is accurate and the number
of contacts per month (100) is accurate, there's no story here.

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bamacharm| 7.25.13 @ 11:48AM |#

When prizes are awarded to officers that issue the most tickets, that is a
quasi-quota system and it's unethical.

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bamacharm| 7.25.13 @ 12:01PM |#

Also, the police chief gave instructions on what percentages of the
contacts had to be traffic citations (a quota). I'm not in law enforcement but
I like Hanners' philosophy: protect and serve but, as much as possible, leave
law abiding people alone. Police aren't supposed to be our overlords. I wish
my own hometown had more officers like Hanners on the force. I'd likely still
have the respect and admiration for the police I once did.

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wareagle| 7.25.13 @ 1:25PM |#

the sgt didn't stop at contacts; he broke it down further and followed with
the "don't be the guy who doesn't reach 100" as if the message needed
clarity.

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Silly ol' Bear| 7.25.13 @ 11:00PM |#

Try that in my town and see where it gets you. We do NOT tolerate ANY
police quotas or abuse of power.

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Vote| 7.25.13 @ 9:11AM |#

Will Auburn start ticketing college officials for throwing a diploma in the
window of a student?

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Firstname| 7.25.13 @ 10:25AM |#

The entire judicial system of the United Police States of America has
become revenue driven. From speeding tickets to illegal confiscations of
personal property to privatized incarceration. It will take a massive
nationwide revolt to turn this evil ship around.

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BDubRVA| 7.25.13 @ 10:33AM |#

If you're on Facebook, check out facebook.com/justice4hanners

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bamacharm| 7.25.13 @ 11:34AM |#

Hanners is voicing what has been suspected for many years: traffic
citations increase in weak economic times to compensate for declining local
government revenues. See a January 2009 Science Daily article "Expect More
Speeding Tickets in Weak Economy". For some, filling government coffers takes
precedent over the citizens' ability to feed their families and keep a roof
over their heads. In Alabama, and I'm sure elsewhere, a large portion of the
traffic fine is used to fund the municipal court salaries and costs. Even if
one pays the fine online, or via mail, thereby avoiding municipal court, they
must still pay court costs. It's a classic case of the "self-licking ice cream
cone". The police are generally good people trying to serve the public but I
have no doubt whatsoever they are under tremendous pressure to generate
revenue for local governments and the courts at the publics' expense. I've
observed a tremendous rise in the number of traffic stops over the last
several years in my own hometown of Prattville, AL. The publics' perception of
the local police has diminished considerably.

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RJ99| 7.25.13 @ 12:07PM |#

The city of Auburn, around 50,000 residents, is carrying almost $300
million in debt. The debt has increased from around $50 million in 2000. The
city council has been spending money like drunken sailors (with apologies to
drunken sailors, who have to go home when they run out of money. The city
council just issues more G.O. warrants and raises taxes). The city also spends
$10,000 per student in the school system.

The city has doubled the sales tax since 2005. The amount charged for a
traffic violation has also increased, and the law was changed so that they can
pull you over for driving without a seatbelt (the fine has been raised from
$10 to $25). The city council paid over $4 million dollars for 100 acres of
land in 2011 (over $400,000 per acre). And a new elementary school that was
projected to cost $7 million before the tax increase actually cost over $10
million.

Not to be outdone, the neighboring city of Opelika raised their sales tax
percentage at the same time as Auburn did. The city council of Opelika also
increased the amount of G.O. warrants by over $60 million a couple of years
ago. $40 million is earmarked for a new high school. Opelika has also
constructed a SportsPlex run by the city, and is in the process of creating a
cable network to compete with the cable network here.

But the people who live here don't care, as long as they can tailgate and
scream "Roll Tide!" or "War Eagle!"...

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wareagle| 7.25.13 @ 1:27PM |#

the bulk of the people who scream either do not live in either Auburn or
Tuscaloosa. But don't let that stop you from painting football as the
villain.

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ExAuburnCop| 7.25.13 @ 1:21PM |#

Hanners is right about the department wanting "meat" tickets. The fix-it
tickets (headlight out, bumper missing, tint too dark) are frowned upon if
they make up the majority of an officer's logbook. What ends up happening is
the officers are spending all day looking for traffic stops and tickets
instead of performing any of their other duties. So when someone calls for the
police because their door was just kicked down by a burglar or their
boyfriend/girlfriend just beat them then it takes longer for the officer to
get off the highway and into the neighborhood. By the way, they have 2
dedicated traffic enforcement officers and 2 high crime officers to increase
their numbers as well.

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| 7.25.13 @
5:38PM |#

I agree. Quotas are totally unacceptable. My agency doesn't have them, but
my previous agency did. Total perverse incentives setup with quotas.

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| 7.25.13 @
5:36PM |#

I wonder if they have binding Arbitration down there. If they do, hopefully
this case will go to arbitration and if it does, I predict he will win.
Arbitrators aren;t stupid and they respect rule of law and whistleblower
protections. I used to work for an agency (Maui PD) that had quotas (much
lower than Auburn's - but still) and that sucked. My current agency does not.
Law Enforcement should not be onview stats driven. That ENCOURAGES bad police
work and it encourages cops to harass people.

Hopefully this guy will get his job back, with back pay.

I know that some jurisdictions the cops don't have binding arbitration and
they don't have a strong CBA and in those jurisdictions, shit like this can
happen. Shit like this is why I promote CBA's that include binding arbitration
as well as whistleblower laws.

Good on him for getting an audio recording.

The two officers in my agency who were unjustly fired got back pay to
include back pay of overtime they would have worked (calculated by their
average overtime per year). I will be following this case to its
resolution

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builtrich| 7.26.13 @ 11:14AM |#

Hey Mises Institute, we're watching. Time to move from the theoretical to
the practical. This should embarrass the F--- out of
you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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flag flagit| 7.26.13 @ 12:10PM |#

check this out, http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/citizens-behind-officer-justin-hanners/x/3943753

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Is This Any Way to…

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