It’s time to tone down the Jefferson speed traps. In an apparent bid to raise revenue, Jefferson cops have reportedly been pressured by superiors to write more tickets.
If that sounds like an echo, it is. Small towns in and around Jackson County have been struggling with their budgets for months. The result has been increasing pressure on departments to move beyond public safety and into fund-raising by fining more and more people for speeding and other, sometimes petty, offenses.
But as some towns have discovered — think Pendergrass, Hoschton and Arcade — it costs more to run a police department than it can raise in fine revenue.
Hoschton’s department has been shut down. Arcade, once notorious as the area’s most aggressive speed trap, has changed direction and is now a small, community-oriented department. Even Pendergrass, the state’s worst offender of raising money by stopping motorists for petty offenses, has cut back some on its overbearing enforcement.
But Jefferson has, if anything, only gotten more aggressive. Although mostly focused on the bypass area, the JPD is also stopping drivers in-town. Many of those stops are for speeding, but one suspects that has more to do with raising funds than public safety. In fact, some of those being stopped are openly told by JPD officers that their ticket won’t be reported to the state, an action that would hurt their insurance and driver’s license points.
Of course the JPD doesn’t want to report all its speeding tickets to the state — that would raise a red flag on just how many tickets are being written by the town.
Cities and police agencies often get very defensive when questioned about their fines:
“It’s just for public safety,” they claim.
Yeah, right.
The truth is, local governments are guilty of abuse when they subtly, or often openly, demand that police departments write more fines. It’s putting men with guns on public roads to extract money from motorists, often for very minor and petty infractions.
But towns destroy their reputations with their own citizens and across the state when they seek to raise money from fines. Their actions are transparent — everybody knows the game being played.
Does Jefferson want to be the next Arcade or Pendergrass?
We hope not.
While it is certainly true that an officer's job is to enforce the law, no matter the pettiness of the law being broken, it is not in there job description to go out and seek to write as many tickets as possible. Enforcing the law within your job description and seeking out infractions to write tickets for are two different actions and end with two different results.
Frankly, as you said, I do not mind a traffic ticket for speeding, or failure to stop completely at a stop sign. Although, if you stop me for speeding and simultaneously issue me 3 other citations for things like loud exhaust or tinted windows ect., I think that not only the officer but all of us need to ask ourselves; Where does the line of enforcing the law end and extortion begin?
I have to agree with you. Whenever I have gotten pulled over I have gotten mad but it is at myself not at the officer who is doing his job. His job is to make us citizens obey the law.
They have abused that privilege long enough. They should also stop the trap on Danisville street as there is no way those officers are visable in a legal manner hiding a curve !
Do I need to publish pictures Mayor Joiner !
Your comment is without merit, neighbor. The SUV of which you speak was NOT paid out of city funds. If you'd read articles in the past you'd know that the new vehicles purchased by the Jefferson Police Department were made with funds that the department received for assisting in drug stops which were mostly made at the request of GBI or other agencies that were "watching" the vehicles and needed the local police to make the stop. Under state rules (laws) that money cannot be used for anything other than equipment...a "use it or lose it" statute.
Personally, I'm very thankful that our Police Chief sets the example for the department to work out at the local gym and remain in top form for the work they are responsible with.
Again - those SUVs were purchased with drug funds not tax money!
The answer to it all is very simple, just slow down to the speed limit everyone. BY doing so, you will be safer, you will burn less gas and there will be less wear and tear on your car's brakes, suspension and tires. Win, win, and ...win!
ON a serious note, I have no idea if there is actually a standing order to write more tickets or not. I do know this. There are many mornings, sometimes in the wee early hours, that I return from a road trip in a truck and on many occasions I meet a Jefferson Police officer as I am returning. Sometimes it is at the company. Ironic that I would read this article this morning since just the other day I returned to find Sergeant John Briscoe's car parked in front of our office at 4:00 am in the morning. It was raining slightly and his car was running with the door open. As I pulled up he came walking from the side of my building, flashlight in hand. He was checking the area around our place after having seen someone walking through the parking lot when he drove by.
I recall as well, before Owen Webb passed away the countless times I would observe Jefferson officers ride through his property and stop at his back door to check on him. It was literally hundreds of times. Since we are next door we had the opportunity to see this. It reminded me very much of old fashioned policing, mcuh like that of the 50's and 60's.
Mike, I realize news is hard to come up with sometimes in a town like Jefferson but if you are going to tell it, tell it all! Personally I have an immense respect for our department. They do a fine job and there are some fine officers who work here.
Just for the record, I think we have a damn fine newspaper too!
Jefferson has some very good officers such as Sgt. Lee New, Sgt John Brisco, Officer Billy McDaniel, and Officer Devon Snapp that do a very good job in keeping our roadways safe. If you don't speed, you don't get a ticket, it's that simple. Having worked with these fine officers, I am very happy to see them continue to do the good job they are doing. Let's give them the support they deserve.
I live in a neighborhood off this road and people really speed in the area.
For the poster above wanting the cars with loud stereos to be ticketed on this road.
Can you help me with that? One of them, with a subwoofer, moved NEXT door to me.......
I wondered how many years the Danielsville St neighbors would be able to stand it.
It seems odd to me that new Jeffersonians will seek out quiet and beautiful neighborhoods then ruin them with noise pollution?
WHY? because it's a state road not a city street !
Jefferson PD sits in the curve out of site which is illegal and also in that spot they do NOT have the legal line of site to shoot radar( I agree with the other poster maybe it's time to get some pictures of this and take it to the state.)
By the way I have not got a ticket on that street but illegal traffic enforcement should not be done regardless how much those folks whine and cry !
It's all about the money from the tickets, very few tickets they write are to truly dangerous aggressive drivers.
The vehicles that you are refering to were paid for with seized drug money. If you look into it they also get better gas mileage and require less maintenance.
Did you happen to notice all the different Uniforms out there when you came through? I think I counted about 6 or 7 different agencies out there. I was told that it was the kick off of the 100 days of summer heat sponsored by the GOVERNERS OFFICE OF HIGHWAY SAFETY. When I went through I saw several people being loaded into the back of police cars in handcuffs. Maybe YOU were disgruntled but they might just have taken someone off the road that might have hurt someone I care about. If people want to see some stats I would like to see what offenses they got from that, like how many D.U.I's and other problems were removed from the roads.
Come on friends....the JPD is not the enemy when it comes to the tickets on the bypass or Brockton Rd. The truth is some folks just think they can skirt the law by speeding...but speeding kills so the police must act on it when it gets out of control in certain areas. Brockton Rd, Athens St and the Bypass are the most notorious places for speeding in our fair city - of course the police need to do what's necessary to keep us all safe.
However, people drive entirely too fast on this road.
If JPD wants to truly make some money, start ticketing noise polluters at homes and in vehicles.
Subwoofers, altered motor cycles, barking dogs are untapped revenue streams.
You sound like a very disgruntled employee. If I were you and I hated my job so much I would do something to make a change. Bitching about things and never doing anything has never resulted in anything. I feel sorry for you.
I believe I know who you are (NOT DEVON SNAP) (there are other people in this city with those initials) and I agree the Jefferson Police have some fine officers working for them.
Mike just wanted to stir the pot once again. he hasn't picked on the Police for a while, It was time to come around to them again. If you follow this paper he goes around the county as to who he attacks to stir the pot and sell papers, dont believe me, WHY DOES HE ALWAYS PUT IT IN OPIONS SECTION? Simple answer because it isnt fact just his opinion. If he posted it as a REAL news story(not in the opinion section) he would have to have PROOF not just CONJECTURE and SPECULATION. If anyone thinks this is a "speed trap" have the state investigate them, I'll bet you will find it isnt even close.
But it still amazes me how much people complain about the police until they need them. DARN fine job your doing boys(I havent read about to many burglaries, robberies, assaults, or violent crimes recently).
so If all you have to complain about is they are writing tickets I say power to them they seem to have a decent handle on the other crimes maybe they can get everyone to SLOW DOWN then they cant write tickets. Problem Solved!
Many posters on here have the obvious agenda of all police being evil money hungry robbers. That's not the case. I have said it before (I think the first time I wrote about that in the Jackson Herald was about nine years ago and I still stand 100% by my opinion.). If you're speeding, you are speeding. It's that simple. City police departments are not going to write you a ticket unless you are in excess of 10 MPH over the posted limit. If they write one for less than that it can go against their radar permit from the State of Georgia. If you geta ticket, you were running well over the limit. Pay the ticket and accept responsibility for it. Heaven knows I have had to do that several times in the past..I didn't like it, but part of being a responsible part of society is that you accept responsibility for your actions.
There is also a LOT of speculation on here the city council is "telling" the police to write more tickets. Folks, that's unethical. If someone has proof of that they need to step up ("man-up") and show the proof which I am sure that Mr. Buffington and the GBI would love to look at. If you only have your "speculation" then I suggest you stop spreading rumors simply because your aunt's-next-door-neighbor's-cousin's-uncle-got-a-ticket-and-you're-mad-as-heck-about-it-because-those-evil-police-and-the-judge-are-obviously-crooked-and-that's-why-they-gave-the-ticket.
Another posted makes the comments that he think's "..it's time to get rid of the city court system in the state of georgia, everything be a state charge, with a state proscutor and elected state judge.." (See post 16.1 by "thissystemisajoke"). The person's next post (see Post 18.1) states he has "a problem with law enforcement being used as tax collectors, it makes us one step closer to becoming a police state." You two posts completely contradist each other. If you get rid of the local law and justice and replace it with a "state court and police" then you have effectively created a "police state". Perhaps this poster should look at the prescribed medications you are (or should be taking) or perhaps even take a vacation to relax the anger-induced rant you seem to be on?
The last point I want to make (and I have posted it on here several times before) is this: If you seriously want to change things it is easy. Get involved. Public meetings of your city council are open to the public. Attend them. Listen to what is being said. Request information about your local government under the Sunshine Laws. I have been a part of the City of Arcade for several years now and it is still disappointing that there might be only one or two citizens in attendance (not including the reporter from the Jackson Herald). Folks, if you have an issue, "Get Involved" and stop exhaling hot air which only contributes to global warming.
-Tom
A comment was made that some of the folks on here had made positive comments about the JPD because they were "hooked up" or had inside connections. It was even suggested that those people had no need to worry about being subject to the same rules. I assume that since I was one of those who had commented positively about the JPD, that possibly that person may have been including me in that list. The fact is, I was only speaking my mind, like everyone else.
The truth of the matter is that I expect to be treated like everybody else. Presently Delaney's is answering a citation for a local ordinance involving a visibility issue for a storage facility that stores cars. Plainly put, we were issued a citation. The citation was written by one of my best friends, Officer Robinson. So, the person who suggested that only certain people are subject to the law, well, your statement was completely unfounded.
Now, am I upset about the citation, yes. Do I still have the same opinion about the JPD? Yes. Why? Because it is what it is. The police department is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the law. It's just that, plain and simple. I have no animosity toward them for doing what it is that they are supposed to do.
In addition, as to the comments posted in reference to this article. The SUV's were paid for with proceeds from drug arrests. The fact is, those funds have to spent on equipment or it is lost to the state's general fund. That is the way it works. Also, the statistics are available for anyone to see. It is public information. The JPD actually wrote less tickets in 09 than 08. That's right! Less...not more. This year, they are paced to do about the same. There is no evidence to support the claim that there is a sudden increase in ticket writing activity. Yes, I saw the numbers with my own eyes, it is public information. Anyone can see them by request at any time. The police department belongs to you, the citizen and the officers, including the cheif, are merely hired by your represenatives, that you elect, or are appointed by those that you elect, to serve you. You own the information, it belongs to you and you can see it if you take the time to.
It is funny how the common citizen sometimes views the police officer as their enemy or that they are out to get them. It just isn't so. If you are not doing anything wrong, you have no reason to feel that way. If you don;t want a speeding ticket, slow down. You won;t get one. As for the ideaology that a city judge will follow the instructions of the council, or a cheif or anyone else in court. That is bologna. Any lawyer who is appointed to serve in that capacity would hardly risk their privledge to practice law over a single ticket.
Now, for those who think I am brown nosing or whatever, let me fill you in. I am a proud card carrying Libertarian. I have some socially Libertarian views that contrast greatly to the enforcement of certain laws. As an American, I believe I should be able to go and come as I please, anywhere, anytime. Furthermore, I think I should be allowed to do that without being randomly chosen to prove I am abiding by the law..example; I do not believe in random roadblocks to check seat belts. I do not believe in random searches and so forth. As a social Libertarian, I believe you should be able to do whatever you want, whenever you want, as long as you do not infringe on another's right to do the same. Essentially, if there is one person on here who has a reason to beef with the JPD concerning this issue, it is me, because of my fundamental belief system and how I interpret the Constitution. However, I still wholeheartedly support the police department's incumbant responsibility to enforce the law, and, I try to obey it so as to keep them from their citing me as a result. It is a really simple philosophy.
Also I might mention that for those of you who have come down so hard on them, I believe your opinion would be much different if you were watching a police officer pull one of your children out of a burning car or something like that.
One of my concerns is, who's monitoring the monitors?
While I may not particularly LIKE Jefferson (or Jackson County's) finest sitting here or there, shooting radar, I understand the logic behind it.
But when I see at least one cruiser a day, and a dozen or more on a weekend, driving like a scalded dog through Apple Valley, no lights, no siren, my kids playing out in the yard...it ticks me off.
Not to mention the countless times we can hear an officer "getting on it" when they pull out into the road...pushing the car, wasting gas, being reckless.
Why? I don't ever seem to have to do that in my car.
But my point is, who's ticketing our uniformed offenders? And beyond that, who would DARE, and risk incurring the wrath of the JDP the next time they drive through town?
Slow down or JPD will write YOU a ticket. JPD is doing a fine job. Keep up the good work fellows. Don't worry about all the cowards on here that hide behind their computer. Thats what cowards do, hide. If they were not cowards, each and every one of them would post their name. See that hasn't happened.
Speed zones are put their for a reason. Its called a LIMIT not a recomendation! How many times have you came to a wreck and watched a teenager die in your hands all because of speeding!?!? None! Your a moron who refuses to protect the peace, the citizens of Jackson County/Jefferson, and all you do is sit in your pencil pushing office complaining about everything that our goverment does. Yes, I dont agree with everthing the United States/Georgia Goverment does, but I follow my orders so I can saves people lives. If you don't want to follow a STATE LAW, fine, I will pull you over and ticket you. So be it. I don't care who you are but like I said it is a LAW and a LIMIT. You are no higher above the law because you sit in a air conditioned office all day and write articles that down grade myself and the brothers I work with to protect this community. If you do not want to follow our driving laws, you will be ticketed. We do not create the speed limit to piss people off, but to protect there lives. We want to be a part of our community and always be there to provide assistance, but we also need to enforce the laws passed down by the State of Georgia and the United States of America.
The truth is, local agencies are often pressured by political leaders to generate revenue from fines. It's happened many times in this community, although leaders always deny it. (But officers have told me they were pressured to write more tickets and some local governments have openly said they want more fine revenue.)
Legitimate traffic enforcement for public safety is one thing; writing tickets for minor violations to raise money for local governments is something quite different. You seem to have confused the two.
And for the record, I have seen a lot of dead bodies pulled from car wrecks over the years.
I guess it was like two weeks ago I had just finished eating my dinner at subway when I watched a marked (Black and White") Arcade patrol car pull into the rear parking lot of Mike's down under. I was astonished to see a man wearing normal clothes (not a uniform) gout out of police car and walk into the bar. I sat in my car for between 20 almost 30 minutes while the man was still in the bar. I watched the man walk back out to the police car and drive off. I followed the car and was horrified to watch it swerve off the road. I didn't know what to do or who to call. I was afraid that the Jefferson Police Department would of just swept it under the rug and I knew that if I complained to the Arcade Police Department that it would not of been taken seriously. If this was not bad enough the arcade police car pulled into bulldogs, I guess he had not already had enough to drink. I drove by not know what to do or who to contact. Yesterday I listened to two Jackson County Deputies as they told the story of an off duty arcade officer by the name of Tom (wasn't able to hear the last name) going to mikes down under off duty in his patrol car.. then getting involved in a domestic dispute at Bulldogs calling the county for assistance. Acording to the deputies story they said that once the county deputies arrived they didn't want to do anything to get the arcade officer in trouble so they left. Well According to the deputies talking while they were eating they said that Tom placed the man in handcuffs (off duty) drove him to jefferson and dropped him out while being intoxicated.
I haven't seen a write up in the paper about an Arcade officer being fired so I guess that Chief Williams decided he could sweep this one under the rug. If you would Mr. Buffington could you find out the truth of this story and expose the cover up.
You are WAY missing the point Mike was trying to make. Please, go right ahead and save teenagers lives. Just don't waste your time on small infractions while those teenagers you're trying to save need your attention. And by the way, do I detect a note of arrogance? Don't you believe that others such as Mike or anyone else here have jobs that are worthwhile or is it only your job that has importance? Good for you for taking pride in your job. I'll bet Mike takes pride in his too. Do you not have air conditioning in your car or office? I too have watched a teenager die many years ago in a wreck due to alcohol and reckless driving. But is anyone here complaining about police stopping drivers for good reasons? No, but for police abusing their power. And I don't think most of us think it is the average police officer's decision to start harassing the average driver. I personally believe it is coming from somewhere higher up the line. So just cool down, stop calling people 'morons' and get off that soapbox and let's get back to the problem at hand.
Thats a fact that you or Jon Ward or anyone else can not deny.
I am concerned that so many of you( police) are writing in? I think you protest too much ? If your following the rules why all the noise ?
Other question for the Jefferson Chief why do you have your folks hide in drive ways or pulled off 12-15 off Gallie Church road running radar ? If your all about Safety then why hide ....after all visability will cause folks to slow down won't it ?!.
I also agree that the law is the law. But just like our GVT. your force seems to be bending and stretching the limits of the law.
When an officer stops 3 cars in less than a mile and does more wreckless driving than the offenders i find it money not safety.
my offense was not a speeding ticket, it was a law i have never heard of. The move over violation. Seems the officer can decide just how far you need to move over when they have someone stopped . The same officer had to break numerous laws themself to wrecklessly stop me in less than 1/4 mile from where they were writing the ticket. Then insult to injury to spin gravel on my vehicle to stop another car 500 yards in front of us.
When numbers are looked at the income generated speaks for itself. Say what you will it reflects on your department if it was just one officer, but it seems pretty rampart to me.
If you ever see one of our trucks driving over the speed limit please call the number on the side of the truck and let someone know. I'm going to step out on a limb here and say you won't see it.
I personally haven't driven (even 5mph) over the speed limit in the past two days, or two weeks for that matter. I don't drive over the speed limit. Seems bizarre doesn't it?
Now once again I am going to remind the posters here of one very important fact, traffic tickets are DOWN.....not up! Just saying. Anyone can go see the numbers, I did! It is public information.
Great debate.
"
"I wished we didn't have to use speed traps."
YOUR USING SPEED TRAPS AND YOU HIDE ! The prosecution rests Jackson County as you have heard an admition of deception which deputy is a violation of the laws of this state and makes you no better then those you put away behind bars!
Mike has exposed a truth that needs to be heard !
Proof read your posts before you post them. You’re making us look bad. It’s ok to hide if you’re shooting laser, however if you’re shooting radar you are breaking the rules. You must be seen for radar, you should have learned that in class. And please stop using the term speed trap, you’ll get the State Patrol down here investigating. I find it hard to believe someone with your claimed experience is writing the things you are. I hope your supervisor doesn’t know what you are writing.
Byline: Todd Defeo
"Dec. 22--The city of Arcade's police department is not operating a speed trap, the Georgia State Patrol recently ruled, marking the third time in eight years the department has been cleared of such allegations.
"They are within the legal guidelines," said Trooper Larry Schnall, the agency's spokesman."
You are making it worse, and still not proof reading your comments. Perhaps you should have someone proof read for you.
Do you realize the 1st was written so people would not be punished for speaking out against the government? The 1st does not give Americans the right to say anything they want. Try yelling "fire" in a theater. Insubordination can be speech, you can get fired for that. You should read the SOP, there are a lot of things you can "say" that will get you fired.
Just wondering, I mean with literally over a thousand kids running around on the fields, navigating a maze of vendors and playing areas and stuff. Not one incident, no one missing, no accidents, no arrests, no problems. Hmmm. Pretty impressive I'd say.