Anyone who’s looking to avoid a speeding ticket may not want to drive through Crown Heights or Prospect Heights anytime soon.
According to the Daily News, notices that detail the amount of moving violation summonses that should be handed out were posted in the roll call room of the 77th Precinct, which covers Crown Heights and Prospect Heights.
One of the notices, which was for the week of April 5th to April 11th, began, “Good day we need the following,” and then proceeded to give a number for the amount of cell phone, seat belt, double parking, bus stop, tinted window and truck route violations. It also denoted five specific intersections for officers to hand out summonses.
In a statement, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said, “Whoever provided the Daily News with the 77th Precinct postings tried to hide the fact that they were made by a police officer, not a supervisor, and without the command’s approval.” The Police Department does not impose quotas but has productivity goals consistent with actual conditions in precincts.”
The NYPD has long been rumored to have unofficial quotas, and in September, an audiotape was leaked that contained a police captain telling his officers that they would need to write more summonses, and told them the precise number of violations to hand out.
Patrick Lynch, the president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association told the Daily News that his union has fought the use of quotas by police officers.
"Quotas are bad for the community because they take away an officer's discretion, which is so important to building a relationship with the neighborhood they patrol," he said.
