Revenue Generation in Jersey: Should cops be pimped out to give fix-it tickets?

[TurboDan]

It's been a long-standing controversy regarding the Constitutionality of DUI checkpoints. In New Jersey, the newest controversy is the state hiring local police officers to conduct checkpoints (often during the morning rush hour) to look for windshield cracks, burnt out brake lights, etc. and hand out tickets. One of the violations most commonly handed out as of late (it's gotten a lot of press in NJ) is ticketing everyone who has a license plate frame $55 at these checkpoints. It's a go-to ticket if there are no other violations. Another example is a windshield registration sticker that is slightly tilted or has the glue a bit wet (pretty common during the summer, no?)

These kind of tactics have to stop. It does nothing but create massive ill will and abject hatred for police officers on the part of the community. Law enforcement needs to be a community effort. The last thing police officers need is turning your average, middle class, law-abiding citizens against the police. And, as always in New Jersey, everyone with a PBA card or courtesy shield gets waved by without an inspection. 

Here's the story. These "out to get you," gestapo-like tactics in New Jersey are absolute garbage and any police officer who engages in them should be embarrassed. As someone who's considered a career in LE, I'd rather tell the state "no, thanks" on the OT money and sleep better at night.

http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2010/09/for_basking_ridge_man_partiall.html

[bing_oh]

The license plate frame thing does tend to occasionally irk me on duty. There are quite a few people out there with license plate frames the obstruct parts of the plate that I need to see to do my job...specifically the registration sticker or the state name. It's particulatly a pain in the ass when I can't read the state name on an out-of-state tag and I have to try to figure out what state it's from by the rest of the design (sometimes quite impossible, given the crapload of "speciality" plates that so many states have). All that for a decoration on somebody's car. Hell, when I put my Chicago Bears license plate frame on my truck, I specifically cut a notch out of it because it covered the registration sticker...not like it was that difficult.

[dazzleman]

New Jersey is such a mess.  Maybe the state is just beyond hope.  The corruption is so bad that it seems it's run by the mafia.

[J86]

meh, Louisiana makes it seem like a pillar of cleanliness

[dazzleman]

meh, Louisiana makes it seem like a pillar of cleanliness

Did you get busted for speeding in Louisiana, or am I thinking of someone else?

[J86]

nah, not me.  it would require a working automobile to speed...

[dazzleman]

nah, not me.  it would require a working automobile to speed...

You don't have a car now?  Did you leave it in Rhode Island?

[J86]

transmission shat itself.  brought it to a shop to confirm that fact.  i can drive it when its cool out, except then i am a rolling Superfund site.  fuck.

[dazzleman]

transmission shat itself.  brought it to a shop to confirm that fact.  i can drive it when its cool out, except then i am a rolling Superfund site.  fuck.

Ah, now I remember you talking about that earlier this week (or late last week).  Sorry to hear it, man.  I hope you can get yourself back on the road soon.

[Mustangfan2003]

Giving someone a ticket for a burnt out light is bs considering that you usually never know it's out until someone tells you.  Oh yeah what's up with not being able to pump your own gas in NJ, you guys have some sort of gas attendant union there?

[TurboDan]

The license plate frame thing does tend to occasionally irk me on duty. There are quite a few people out there with license plate frames the obstruct parts of the plate that I need to see to do my job...specifically the registration sticker or the state name. It's particulatly a pain in the ass when I can't read the state name on an out-of-state tag and I have to try to figure out what state it's from by the rest of the design (sometimes quite impossible, given the crapload of "speciality" plates that so many states have). All that for a decoration on somebody's car. Hell, when I put my Chicago Bears license plate frame on my truck, I specifically cut a notch out of it because it covered the registration sticker...not like it was that difficult.

A frame that blocks vital info is certainly fair game for a summons. However some of the people who have been ticketed in NJ recently have just had the dealership-provided frames that barely overlapped the top of the "N" in "New" on the plate. It's silly stuff like that which turns police supporters into people who lose respect for LE. And it's sad that the state is using some loopholes in the law to stage these checkpoints and use officers like robots to collect money for the Motor Vehicle Commission.

[VTEC_Inside]

Giving someone a ticket for a burnt out light is bs considering that you usually never know it's out until someone tells you.  Oh yeah what's up with not being able to pump your own gas in NJ, you guys have some sort of gas attendant union there?

I've often wondered why my '89 Accord has an indicator light to let me know if one of the FIVE brake lights is out, but neither of my post 2000 model year cars does.

It drives me nuts when I see cars with only one of three, or even worse, one of five brake lights working. Surely someone mentioned it along the way.

One other thing I'd like to see fined is the replacement of 1157A bulbs with 1157 bulbs (and other Amber/non-Amber bulbs).