Traffic Ticket Revenue

[Swamp]

I've often seen comments made here on the forum about how speed enforcement is a revenue generating tactic, not a safety enhancing measure, so I decided to do a little research. Not that I ever doubted it was true, I just wanted to be sure.
I had a job for 18 years that took me traveling all over the country; I'd work a few weeks in one town, a few months in another, ranging from Texas to Florida to Maine, so I saw quite a few towns that I could say were speed traps. However, Smyrna, Tennessee (About 15 miles south-east of Nashville on I-24) is the worst I've ever seen.
So, I got online and downloaded the town budget / financial statements the last several years.
Smyrna is a pretty typical small American town; mostly middle and some upper class, no really rough areas in the town or slums or inner city, etc. and I wouldn't be scared to walk anywhere in the town at any time of day or night. The population is 38,000.
During 2008 there were 516 serious crimes, 2,115 traffic accidents, 10,600 calls to 911, and 15,300 citations were issued.

In this time period, there were 11,700 total cases for traffic tickets and 15,500 violations, so a good percent of the tickets were for more than 1 violation, and 2,600 people went to traffic school.
11,700 traffic tickets and a population of 38,000 means 30% of the population got a ticket last year.


Traffic Related Revenue:
Traffic Court: $740,000
Traffic Reinstatements: $3,500
Traffic Late Penalties: $35,800
Traffic School: $215,800
----------------------------------------------------
Total: $995,100 (Income)

Traffic Court Budget: $191,299 (Expenses)

Profit: $803,800


Yeah, I'd say its about revenue, not safety.

By the way, there was only $1,900 in fines related to beer sales and another $4,920 in drug related fines. I sure am glad to know that there isn't a drug or alcohol problem around here.

PS, Watch your speed in Smyrna, TN

[Just1n]

Surely the traffic court budget isn't the only expense. The police department has a budget too.

[Swamp]

Yeah, they budget $11,000 a year for radar guns.

[Cips]

You should be an investigative reporter. Excellent research.

[The Chariot]

I'm willing to bet a great many of those tickets are from out of towners. You can't piss off 30% of the locals and not end up with a new police chief, mayor, etc. There are some towns like that around here, notorious for ticketing anyone who's not a resident and being lenient on residents. Its all a money scam.

[voyager7]

Yeah, they budget $11,000 a year for radar guns.

That sounds like a lot.
Do they have to change radar guns that often?

[Just1n]

Cops don't work for free either. They need their donut money.

[statusquo]

I just read a book called "A Speeder's Guide to Avoiding Tickets" by a retired NY State Policeman. Yes, it's about the money and not safety. "The governemnt could manadate all cars and truck not be able to go over xx MPH, but they want you to speed!" he says.

Should be a mandatory read as many on here get the impression he must show his radar's readout if asked ("No he doesn't! You just made him more angry by challenging him and if he was going to let you off, you just changed his mind.").

Also, travel as far off-axis to his gun's site line as possible. If you stay in the far rightmost lane as he approaches, his gun may show 69 MPH where his tolerance may be 70 MPH for ticketing. If you stay in the high-speed lane nearest him, it may show 70 MPH and you're toast. Cosine works to you advantage so use it. A Laser or Radar gun will read 0 MPH at 90 degrees to his position no matter your speed - so increase that angle.

sq~

[category4]

Here's a little excerpt from the web page of the local Recorder's (Traffic) court for my county.

In 2007, Recorder's Court processed over 128,000 citations and receipted nearly $14,000,000.00 in fines and bond forfeiture payments. Recorder's Court is divided into three offices. The first office is the judicial office, which has three Judges and six judicial staff members. The second office is the prosecutorial office, which has one Solicitor, three Assistant Solicitors, and two prosecutorial staff members. The third office is the clerk's office, which has one Clerk and fifteen court clerks.