HPD cops say priority on tickets instead of safety

06:07 PM CST on Friday, February 4, 2005

By Jeff McShan / 11 News

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Dozens of Houston police officers have contacted 11 News wanting you to know about a new policy they say will hinder their ability to fight crime.

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Some officers say they're being pressured to write more traffic tickets.

They say the "productivity policy" will force them to bypass calls for help from criminal victims so they can write traffic tickets.

"If I have free time to do it, that's great, but I shouldn't be made to do it," said one officer who didn't want to be identified. "And there shouldn't be negative consequences if I can't get around to writing a traffic ticket."

Executive Assistant Chief Tim Oettmeir admits the department is close to releasing a productivity standard that he says will be fair but tough. He says if an officer is found to be consistently non-productive, he or she could lose their ability to work extra jobs. Oettmeir says the goal is to make the department more efficient.

"But officers believe this is only a money grab -- nothing else.

"If I put a guy in jail for aggravated robbery, the city makes no money for that," said the officer. "If I write a ticket for a seatbelt or inspection sticker, the city makes money off of that.

11 News has obtained documents which show officers' productivity will be based on a point system.

If an officer spends their shift investigating a home invasion, a missing juvenile, an assault and makes an arrest, he might be awarded seven points.

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But if the same officer spends all of his time on two traffic stops, his productivity could soar to 15 depending on the number of violations found.

"You're not going to sell me the idea you're trying to make people safe. You're basically telling me you need money," said the officer.

The police union's Ronnie Martin told members in attendance Thursday that the productivity order is coming soon. But the union will be looking over the details.

"We have avenues. We go back to the command staff and talk about 'these are our concerns on a patrol level, on an investigative level' and hopefully we will go back and take a look at it again and say 'OK there are concerns here and let's address it,'" said George Shaw with the Houston Police Officers Union.

HPD says it will present the program to more focus groups before anything is etched in stone. And officials say the program will be fair to officers and citizens.