Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

April 2, 2012

In an internal e-mail memorandum written on March 30, Lt. Frank Schirillo of the Connecticut State Police described a ticket-writing binge ? a contest to see which unit could write the largest number of citations in a 24-hour period, with the winners treated to pizza.

?I am asking that everyone, myself included, contribute to this effort,? stated the e-mail. ?[W] have to issue at least 60 infractions / Misdemeanors each shift for a total of 180 infractions...[I]f we happen to issue 350 tickets in one day that would be stellar.?

Ironically, some of the most pointed criticism of the ticket quota was offered by Andrew Matthews of the state police union.

?Whether it?s motivational or a quota, it?s disturbing to us because at a time when the taxpayers are out of work ?cause they?re unemployed, or gas is $4 a gallon and unemployment is like around 9%, now is not the time to be just issuing tickets to generate revenue.?

Actually, there is no proper time to use tickets as a revenue stream. The practice is forbidden by statutes in every state ? and quietly carried out by police departments in every jurisdiction.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.