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Have you ever noticed that the amount of police cars you see at the end of the month increases? Or that small towns have more cops camped out on the side of the road to catch traffic violations? Well, police officers will write extra tickets to make more money. 

Police officers participate in policing to profit to make extra cash 

Not all police stations have a monthly quota of traffic violations to meet. However, some states do list monthly quotas for officers to meet. 

Also, some units will increase the pressure on police officers to stop more cars to issue citations. This practice is known as policing for profit and is often used to fix failing budgets. 

Some officers are even rewarded for meeting or going above their quotas with gift cards, overtime, and other incentives. 

When smaller cities are financially struggling then cops lend a hand by issuing more traffic tickets to generate revenue. But this harms drivers who are also struggling. 

The fines can pile up, hitting citizens hard. For example, in Peninsula, Ohio, people are required to pay $100 just to contest a traffic ticket. 

If they can’t pay, they lose their constitutional right to due process. Then the cost of the ticket may double if the fine is upheld. 

A male police officer gang a female driver a ticket
A woman getting a traffic ticket |iStock

Some states, like North Carolina, will allow people to start a payment plan for traffic fines. However, the interest rates make things harder. 

This can lead to additional fines and reinstatement fees that keep building up. In some cases, people aren’t able to legally drive until they get themselves out of the financial hole. 

According to USA Today, Coffee City, Texas has a population of about 250 people. The police department hired 50 full-time and reserve police officers who wrote over 5,000 citations last year to collect over $1 million in fines. 

In Brookside, Alabama there are about 1,200 residents. After the police started an aggressive traffic stop and ticket-writing campaign revenue increased by 640%. 

It’s not surprising why people distrust officers when they’re used like abused piggy banks to keep departments afloat.

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Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.