Florida Highway Patrol leader quits in ticket-quota review

[Baitball Blogger]

TALLAHASSEE — The second-highest ranking official in the Florida Highway Patrol has resigned amid an ongoing review about ticket-writing quotas for troopers.

Lt. Col. Michael Thomas resigned Monday after it was discovered he sent an email in late May that encouraged troopers to write two tickets an hour.

In his letter announcing his early retirement, Thomas called the email a “grave error” and said he was taking responsibility for his actions. Top state officials insist quotas are not allowed

“This error has negatively impacted the patrol's image, which was never the intent, but I feel it is in the best interest of the patrol that I retire,” wrote Thomas, who earned $131,000 a year in his job as deputy director.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-trooper-resigns-ticket-quota-20170829-story.html

[Enorgnoz]

1. Yet another example of

the bullshit that comes along without a state income tax. Repuglycans think it makes for good optics. I live in FL - you can bet they make up for it in more ways than one.

[Sailor65x1]

8. Not really the absence of state income tax

Police in other states pull the same crap.

[Orrex]

2. But I've been told for years that ticket quotas are a myth!

Say it ain't so!

[Hoyt]

3. They are just ticked he put it in writing. It would have been fine if he had said it privately.

[Baitball Blogger]

7. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

[ExciteBike66]

4. I haven't gotten a ticket while living in FL yet, but

until very recently I have driven the most grandfatherly of cars, the Buick LeSabre. These cars are pretty much immune to ticketing...

[obamanut2012]

5. Trust me, it happens here all the time

You'll suddenly see oodles of highway patrol, and they are pulling people over left and right for almost nothing, then they disappear again for a few days, then back again. It is sick.

[lpbk2713]

6. He didn't think he would get caught.

Emails never go away. He just found that out.

[TheFrenchRazor]

9. a bad apple, i'm sure... not. nt

[gratuitous]

10. "Said he was taking responsibility for his actions"

So, does that mean he's going to jail? Forfeit a percentage of his pension? Make restitution to people unfairly ticketed? What does that mean?