For example, when I posted the following picture via Facebook,
I got 23 replies. Most get a handful - 5 or 10 replies at most.
This one got 23 replies, most of them from two people.
One said:
"Police do not have quotas!"
and
"I don't really even think the idea is there.. at least in my mind... If you are doing your job you will produce results. If you aren't you don't. That applies to any job including police work."
Another said:
"Every job that I know of has performance evaluations in one form or fashion. If you're not performing like the other employees of the company then of course actions will be taken. That is not a "quota" by any means, it's making sure the company is getting the best employees for the job."
To which I say -
Definition Time:
Check out defintion #2, here:
"2. A production assignment."
For those who are not comfortable with things defined (jeesh, sounds like we are dealing with liberals or Calvinists!), let me put it simply:
EVERY JOB HAS A QUOTA.
The "quota" is what they expect you to do.
Often, the word can also bear the meaning of how much of "X" they want you to do.
Roof builders have a quota - often measured in having to build roofs - how much and how fast.
Salespeople have quotas - often measured in how much product is sold.
Firefighters have quotas - often measured in how many fires they put out.
Police have quotas - always measured in how many tickets they write.
I'm comfortable with the term.
Having forged a distinguished career in sales, I am perfectly comfortable with the fact that I have a quota. Most of my employers have not even called it a quota, but that is what it was / is. This year, I am ahead of quota by about 23%. Last year, I beat quota by 10.7%. It is a good tool for measuring.
Police aren't comfortable with the term.
"Cops need quotas, says NYPD brass"
“When I first started in this job 30 years ago, police work was never about revenue enhancement, but if you’re a chief now, you have to look at whether your department produces revenues. That’s just the reality nowadays.” - Police Chief Michael Reaves of Utica, Michigan
Post edit addition: cop fired for speaking out against quotas.
Why it matters:
What better way to increase the power of the government than to increase the enforcing power of the government's enforcement agencies? Police forces top that list.
YES - I JUST SAID THAT POLICE QUOTAS ARE
LINKED TO ABUSE OF POLICE AUTHORITY.
WIDESPREAD ABUSE OF POLICE AUTHORITY IS
ESSENTIAL TO THE GROWTH OF THE POLICE STATE.
THE GROWTH OF THE POLICE STATE IS ESSENTIAL IN
THE FINAL TURN FROM CAPITALISM TO SOCIALISM.
.
I wouldn't mind if the cops had the right quotas to fill; problem is they really don't.
ReplyDeleteThey seldom have a quota to talk to people who have no complaint but just want to see a cop in their area.
They seldom have a 'crime prevented' quota.
Or tires they helped changed or directions given to the clueless or lost.
They seldom have a quota on the number of compliments they receive.
Nope, they have quotas on mala prohibitum type laws. I've been "busted" speeding 3 times in the last 6 years.
Tell me who I hurt in any of those cases. Didn't run anyone off the road, didn't cause a collision, nothing. So what was the point of stopping me if not for revenue?
Bob,
ReplyDeleteAs is so often the case, you've hit the nail on the head.
I would add, since tickets are clearly revenue generation, why are they not governed by other parts of the tax code???