No one wants to see squad cars with their lights on behind them as they’re driving. Still, thousands of people get pulled over for traffic stops each year. Naturally, many of these encounters with law enforcement end with drivers getting citations. However, there has been a long-standing belief that police officers have monthly quotas to meet for citations or arrests. While police officers deny this, there is evidence to support law enforcement having quotas. 

Do police officers have quotas for traffic stops and citations?

According to The Stanford Open Policing Project, over 50,000 drivers are pulled over for traffic stops each day. This number equates to about 20 million yearly traffic stops in the United States. As of 2023, there were a reported 233 million drivers. Because of the number of people pulled over by squad cars, it’s natural to wonder if police officers have quotas to meet. 

The official answer from law enforcement regarding people being pulled over for traffic stops is that there is no quota. However, there is significant evidence that quotas exist, at least to some extent. This belief about being pulled over and getting citations is backed up by the fact that some states have outlawed quotas for police officers, and many others are considering it. 

One example is California, as section 41600 of the state’s vehicle code disallows the practice. Texas and Florida also outlaw quotas for people being pulled over for traffic stops or getting citations. Virginia made the same call in 2022. As of March 2024, six other states are considering banning the practice. 

The problem(s) with quotas for law enforcement

Law enforcement may not admit to having quotas. However, there are a few notable issues with having a required number of traffic stops and citations. First, this requirement adds unnecessary pressure to police officers. Second, The Brennan Center For Justice found that police officers with quotas typically have lower clearance rates for violent crimes, which means these requirements detract from the goal of keeping the community safe. 

Another issue is that quotas for traffic stops and citations create unnecessary interactions with the police. This is a problem because, as mentioned, this practice often means violent crimes slip through the cracks. 

So, quotas for police officers have been all but confirmed by recent legislation as well as various studies that have been done. While the officials behind them see this practice as a way to ensure law enforcement is productive, it has several drawbacks that can stop well-meaning police officers from fighting violent crime.