Does the NYPD use ticket quotas? I’m asked that question so often. It’s a touchy subject for the city and the answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think. That’s because the official statement from the NYPD is that they do not use ticket quotas. But even as recently as late 2018, reports claim quotas are alive and well. Just more hidden.
Tickets and summonses are big money to New York City. Back in 2015, the city was projecting $800 million in court and administrative fines to support the city budget. Think about that. Before anyone had committed a single crime in the fiscal year, the city had already planned how much citizens would need to be ticketed to reach budget goals.
Depending on how you look at it, that $800 million dollar line item on the budget might appear to be one big quota. Despite the contradiction, the NYPD has made strong statements against quotas repeatedly. And that officers are also required to undergo “no quota” training.
If you really want to know if the NYPD still has ticket quotas, look at what officers themselves have been saying:
The NYPD 12
In 2015, a brave group of 12 NYPD officers filed a class action lawsuit against the department. They claimed the NYPD was demanding quotas, as well as encouraging officers to racially target people of color. NYPD of still having quotas despite claiming they do not.
If you’ve got Hulu, check out the documentary film Crime + Punishment that tells their story. I also liked this New York Times article on Edwin Raymond, one of the officers who provided evidence of ticket quotas and racial profiling.
NYPD Class Action Lawsuit
In another situation as recently as late 2018, members of an elite anti-terrorism group reported their bosses were demanding they write “BS” tickets. Whistleblowers claim the ticket quotas were never official, but officers were punished if they didn’t meet the unspoken standard. They also say the department was bringing in what they call “cop crushers” — commanding officers that punish anyone who refused to engage in the unofficial quotas.
This same group of whistleblowers says pro-quota leaders are getting around the mandate by not giving officers specific ticket quota numbers, but making it understood. The said that during roll calls, officers who didn’t bring in enough tickets and arrests were threatened with being punished. Alleged punishments included undesirable shifts, being overlooked for promotions, and lowered performance evaluations.
The NYPD denies the allegations. But the ticket quotas article goes into more detail about what the whistleblowers said and how the NYPD defended itself. It’s a good read.
End of the Month Ticket Quotas
Sometimes, the proof is in the research. An interesting study in 2017 reported that based on ticket activity in 2015 it appeared the NYPD was ramping tickets toward the end of the month. Do police officers give out more tickets at the end of the month to meet quotas? Maybe it’s urban legend or maybe it’s not. Regardless, this study was pretty damning.
It’ll be interesting to see if a future study is done on whether tickets in New York increase at the end of the month. Even after the NYPD began its “no ticket quotas” training.
Conclusion
When I get asked questions about ticket quotas I really want to make sure I’m answering with the full story. It’s a positive step when NYPD leadership openly states that no quotas are allowed and requires “no ticket quotas” training. But I have to also factor in the reality that officers have continued to come forward with claims that quotas were demanded. Even after they were publicly banned.
I defend citizens in the Bronx and across New York City against civil rights violations, police brutality, and other unlawful actions every day. It’s my business to stay on top of issues like quota policing that can have a negative impact on people I serve. I hope this summary gives you a better understanding of the topic.
