Skip to main content

BUSTED? Atlanta Police Union memo seems to confirm cops face ticket quotas

Atlanta Police Union MemoA memo circulated among Atlanta police officers has sparked new concerns over what a lot of people have suspected for awhile – namely, that police often issue tickets to meet a quota.

Except in this case, it appears that the motivation might be a bump in pay.

Recommended Videos

According to a CNN report, a memo written by Atlanta Police Union President Ken Allen stated; “The mayor has designated traffic court and ticket revenue for future pay increases.”

When questioned about it, Allen then told CNN that while the revenue from tickets will be earmarked for raises, more tickets will not necessarily lead to higher raises.

“We’re not even asking anybody, or no one has made any suggestion, that any officer write any additional tickets than they already have,” the union president told CNN.

Hmm…maybe I missed something there.  Let’s give that memo line another read: “The mayor has designated traffic court and ticket revenue for future pay increases.” (DT emphasis)

Okay, maybe it doesn’t directly insinuate that Atlanta police need to start handing out more tickets to pay for future pay increases for officers, but you can definitely see how an officer who might think that they are underpaid (which surely never happens) could make that connection – and find reasons to write a bunch more tickets than usual.

Hoping to provide even more clarity on it all, Allen told CNN that “the revenues from tickets already go to the general fund. What the mayor has suggested doing is … earmarking where these revenues are going for the future pay raises.”

Still, I’m sure that offers very little comfort to many who believe there are certain reoccurring times when it seems like police issue a lot more tickets than usual.  

What are your thoughts on the issue?

Marcus Amick
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Marcus Amick has been writing about the world of cars for more than ten years and has covered everything from new automobiles…
Hyundai to offer free NACS adapters to its EV customers
hyundai free nacs adapter 64635 hma042 20680c

Hyundai appears to be in a Christmas kind of mood.

The South Korean automaker announced that it will start offering free North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapters in the first quarter of 2025.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 5 sets world record for greatest altitude change
hyundai ioniq 5 world record altitude change mk02 detail kv

When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.

It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year's largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.

Read more
Global EV sales expected to rise 30% in 2025, S&P Global says
ev sales up 30 percent 2025 byd sealion 7 1stbanner l

While trade wars, tariffs, and wavering subsidies are very much in the cards for the auto industry in 2025, global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to rise substantially next year, according to S&P Global Mobility.

"2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one," says Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility.

Read more