Quinn Signs Law Banning Police Ticket Quotas
By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 16, 2014 6:00PM
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn made police ticket quotas a thing of the past Sunday when he signed into law legislation prohibiting police departments across the state from assigning ticket minimums to officers.
Senate Bill 3411 amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code so that state, county and local police departments may also not use citations or warnings as a means of evaluating a police officer’s job performance against a fellow officer’s. Quinn, in a statement released to media, said the law is a move toward reassuring trust in law enforcement and improving safety.
“Law enforcement officers should have discretion on when and where to issue traffic citations and not be forced to ticket motorists to satisfy a quota system. This new law will improve safety and working conditions for police officers and prevent motorists from facing unnecessary anxiety when they encounter a police vehicle.”
The new law went into effect immediately and is wide-ranging. In addition to traffic citations, it also means stopping state departments like the Illinois Conservation Police from writing hunting and fishing violations unless they actually happen.
State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea), one of the bill’s sponsors, said there are more effective means of evaluating law enforcement personnel in the 21st century than the number of citations they write.
“Using the number of citations is an outdated and ineffective evaluation tool. It doesn't lead to better policing, it doesn't lead to better use of taxpayer money and it doesn't lead to better relationships with the community, all of which are challenges we face.”