WV Troopers Allege Ticket Quotas
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Posted: 2:37 PM Nov 18, 2008
WV Troopers Allege Ticket Quotas
A new survey found that nearly a fourth of troopers complain State Police brass imposed an unofficial monthly quota for traffic warnings or citations.
Reporter: Associated Press
Email Address: news@wsaz.com
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Nearly 70 percent of State Police troopers don't believe there are enough officers in the field throughout West Virginia.

A new survey also found that nearly a fourth of troopers complain State Police brass impose an unofficial monthly quota for traffic warnings or citations. About 30 percent say they're punished for not meeting that quota.

And more than one-fifth of those surveyed believe troopers are arbitrarily transferred or relocated as a form of discipline, though that's against state law.

Legislative auditors queried all 445 troopers assigned to field posts in May. At least 82 percent responded, and the 26-question survey yielded more than 1,800 comments.

State Police officials dispute the quota allegations, and say they're addressing the manpower issue.

Latest Comments

Posted by: LOOKITUP on Nov 21, 2008 at 11:33 PM

OFFICERS THAT ARE TRAVELING OVER THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT SHOULD HAVE THERE LIGHTS AND SIRENS ACTIVATED. IF ENROUTE TO A CALL OF SERVICE AND THEY DEEM IT NECESSARY TO SPEED THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO ACTIVATE ALL EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT. SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE TROOPERS SPEEDING TO GET TO A CALL. IF SOMEONE WAS INSIDE YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR WERE INSIDE AS WELL, THE TROOPERS SHOULD NOT BE LOUD GETTING THERE...WELL, IF I WAS A BETTING MAN A ELDERLY WOMEN WOULD PROBABLY HOPE THAT THE OFFICERS HAVE THERE SIRENS ON SO THE PERP WOULD LEAVE HEARING THEM RESPONDING. IF NOBODY WAS IN DANGER, YES THE OFFICERS WOULD WANT TO SNEAK UP AND CATCH THEM. THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE...THE TROOPERS DO A WONDERFUL JOB...THEY NEED THE CITIZENS SUPPORT, THEY GET MORE CRITICIZED THEN APPRAISED. THOSE WHO CRITICIZE ARE QUICKLY TO CALL THEM WHEN THEY NEED HELP THOUGH...ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOULD BE APPRAISED... YES,THERE IS ALWAYS A ROTTEN EGG IN THE BUNCH, JUST AS ANY PROFESSION.
Posted by: Daryl on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:18 PM

Drive 79 to Morgantown before a WVU football game and the state police will blow you off the road doing about 80 mph and talking on there cell phone! My last speeding ticket was on I-77 at South of Edens Fork 74 in a 70, $165.00 fine!
Posted by: QueenBee on Nov 20, 2008 at 05:26 PM

Someone just needs to do a comparision in Troop 4 with a few of the other troops. Here you will find that this is one troop that is so subject to the quota via experiencing transfers due to not meeting the "expected level of activity", preferential treatment, transfers based upon conflit in personality, etc.
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  • Posted By: Anne: FYI to a few callous veterinarians in the region: Our pets are very dear to us. Unfortunately, when their bodies cannot be saved, and they have to be "put to sleep", some kindness would be greatly appreciated. Some reverance, consideration for the pet and the people involved, and basic kindness would be helpful in dealing with this horrible experience. Shame on those of you who do none of the above; a huge thank you to those of you who act with some semblance of respect.
  • Posted By: Keith...thanks Jim: No offense, I just didn't know what you were trying to say. Clarification is good sometimes. I have noticed the people who call names the most on here and impugn other folks intelligence are often the worst spellers, can't put a sentence together, often can't carry a coherent thought to completion, etc..but I often say "corpseman" now when talking about those folks in the Navy, just as a tribute mind you, no disrespect intended. I am going to study geography now, my family is planning a vacation to one of our 57 states, we just haven't decided which one, we just have to remember and take our asthma "inhilators" along so we don't get winded.
  • Posted By: plain as day: well i see wsaz,obama news has slowed,stopped free speech 3 days.
  • Posted By: george: to christina:support the smoking ban in your own home and keep your nose out of others business!! how bright you must be,for your info my wife had twin girls,and the doctor told her NOT to quit because it would cause stress on the babies. thats from a doctor which im sure by far your not!!! so you want to chrg. her with child abuse,how foolish are you!! you need to worry about whats in your own closet and not everybody elses!!!!
  • Posted By: Jeremy C: I agree with Christina though I'd go a step further and clear this up once and for all and make cigarettes illegal.
  • Posted By: Dave: @christina do you support a womans right to abortion? Just a question, I am curious. The health department does not have the right to make any laws, only elected offficials, elected by the people are supposed to pass laws. If the majority of people want a smoking ban, the ban smoking. But don't leave up to appointed officials in the Dept. of health. smoking is bad, but smoking bans are unconstitutional, and that is worse.
  • Posted By: Big Earl: Hello good WV coal miners and there kin did any of you people see that show on the PBS channel the other night about WVs own Rocket Boys Homer RoyLee Quintin and Sherman Odell can somebody at Governor Joes office tell these people down to the TV station to quit bumming money while were trying to watch the show last time it was WVs own adopted son John Denver singing Country Roads Take Me Home got interupted or WV adopted son John Boy Walton doing the talk over on the history of WV show getting cutoff who is the people that sits around talking on the phone in the back of the room you are trying to watch the show next thing somebody comes on trying to sell you a Edsel or a 200 dollar t shirt it is the working coal miner what keeps the PBS station afloat they ought to give all certified WV coal miners free Rocket Boy tshirts.
  • Posted By: Christina: I support the ban on smoking. All studies show the dangers of this recreation. Now; when is someone going to be bold enough to create and pass a law that charges and convicts woman who smoke while pregnant of CHILD ABUSE? The baby does not have the choice to smoke or not to smoke, but YOU do!
  • Posted By: Hey Everybody We Are All Getting A BIG RAISE!!!: Obama said that if his health care bill passes costs would drop an incredible 3000%!!! That means your boss will save sooooo much money under his system he/she can afford to give you a big raise! Now if you pay $1000 dollars a month for your coverage, a 100% savings on that would mean you pay zero dollars; a 3000% drop in cost would mean what, your employer saves or gets back from somewhere around $3000 to $30,000 dollars? No, I am not making this up; I heard Obama say it. Great news. Why wouldnt anybody support Obamacare. Boy that Bush sure was dumb.
  • Posted By: Keith...if you love your country and cherish your freedom, act now...: The way things should be in America: Barack Obama decides something is good for us, it becomes law. Period. Vote on a bill? Why? Read a bill? No need. Televise the hearings? What a joke. Barack says it, that settles it. Oh, Garydon, where are you now that there are real "faceists" at work? Folks, it will be a long, difficult fight this fall, but Nick J. Rahall must be defeated in the House election. He has carried the water for Obama and Pelosi on this Obamanation healthcare bill from the start; he was one of the first to endorse Obama; he is largely protected by WV media, who refuse even to publish his office phone numbers in order that you can call and voice your opinion; Nick and Nancy's bill raises 10 new taxes immediately; gives no "benefits" for 4 years; will ration your care, will raise your premiums, will limit your choices. Sound like a good deal? If you possibly can, log onto the League of American Voters website and contribute to the ads they are running...hurry, do it now.
  • Posted By: Jim: Keith,mirrows an often mispelled and mispronounced word for mirrors,believed to be attributed by an abbreviated note from an illusionist to his aide to line mirrors in a row to cause an optical effect of seeing the same thing over and over again much like the republicans telling stories whether true or not over and over again only to recant after the damage is done.Myself I use the word as a tribute to a person we both know who often mispronounced the word matter of fact he mispronounced so many words and made up so many that there was a term coined after him Bushism's
  • Posted By: Big Earl: Hello good coal miner people of WV and there kin did you people see where the WV Mountaineer basketball team is going to what they call the Big Dance well I say congratulations I heard them people from over on the McCoy side of the river is to well I bet Coach Huggins won’t be dragging a tree hugger around everywhere with him sticking a camera in her face ever time they call timeout as his Number 1 fan I say pack the muzzle loader and go hunt treehugger wildcat did you people ever read that story where our own Devil Ance Hatfield off the WV side of the river hunted wildcat with his bare hands he treed a bear to I read it in that book Story of the Devil hey you hippies and dopeheads head back over to Ohio and cheer for your buckeye nuts look out Shaggy it’s the WV State Police ruh roh Scooby hide the dope.
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