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FHP Issues About 47,000 Traffic Citations During Holidays
January 14, 2010
Tens of thousands of traffic citations were issued during the Florida Highway Patrol’s participation in the nationwide “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” program.
During the 19-day heightened enforcement period, the FHP beefed up its force by having troopers postpone administrative duties in favor of road patrols and adding reservists and auxiliary troopers to patrol duty, according to Col. John Czernis, director of the FHP.
Troopers issued nearly 47,000 traffic citations and made 537 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The FHP cited more than 16,000 drivers for speeding and nearly 5,000 for failure to buckle up.
“During the campaign, our troopers focused on driving practices that put motorists at higher risk for a crash,” said Czernis. “Impaired driving is a dangerous behavior. These drivers not only put themselves in harm’s way, but they also increase risk for everyone around them. Motorists should always designate a sober driver if they plan to consume alcohol.”
The members of the Florida Highway Patrol also offers the reminder that it is the law to “Move Over” when approaching any authorized emergency vehicle or wrecker displaying rotating or flashing lights stopped on the side of a roadway. Dialing *FHP (*347) from a cell phone contacts FHP to report an aggressive driver or require roadside assistance.
Comments
25 Responses to “FHP Issues About 47,000 Traffic Citations During Holidays”
Didn’t say I didn’t care.
you would………. Well atleast there still people out there that that care & are happy to have any type of law enforcement protecting us out there local or state!
The campaign was called “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” Even if they were using speeding violations to catch DUIs, only 3% of them were arrested for it.
I stand by my argument.
Billy I feel like you and I are wasting our time trying to explain anything to SW that person is concerned with trying to spin their hard work to sound like they only did it to make a bigger revenue. Everyone else can see the bigger picture but SW!
Billy
Nossir, I did not say that any ticket except a DUI was generating money; I said that I feel speeding tickets are mainly a renevue generating source. My premise is based on other violations being more serious and creating more of an accident risk. Your own statement referred to other violations than speeding during the AL DPS campaign.
Doctors don’t work for government and can’t take my money at the point of a gun; apples and oranges.
I applaud any effort by any agency to protect and serve. I don’t applaud states (or any other jurisdiction) turning law enforcement into revenue generators.
I agree that troopers are law enforcement and their efforts and sacrifices are genuine, and should be respected; but why elevate them above our other federal, state, local officers? Your challenge to wonder if any other law enforcement agency has saved 340 lives in a year’s time is rather hard to measure; for example, how many lives were saved by deputy sheriff’s or local police by answering calls for service, or catching drug dealers, breaking up domestics or other violent acts? The same could be said for federal agents as well.
SW,
You are very wrong. I understand your theoy but it is much deeper than that. If you examine what Troopers in Alabama have done over the past two years you will understand. They have set a standard accross the U.S. and Florida is trying to follow. You are basically saying that all tickets except for DUI are just “money generating” tickets. They do cost people money but this is money that it cost is supposed to be the deterant and guess what….it works the majority of the time. There was a time when you could be put in jail for speeding. This would not generate money but I don’t think it would go over very well either. So you have to logically punish with money. Now I said that to say this. Alabama had an alarming number of fatal wrecks on their roads prior to 2007. They began very strict enforcement periods and became much more strict over all with citing moving violations with concentrations on DUI, Speed, Following to closely, changing lanes w/o signaling, and seat belt. AL founded the “take back our highways campaign” that most of the country is doing now. Since AL has began this campaign to reduce fatal crashes and serious injury crashed through increased enforcement, fatalities have dropped drastically……..try over 30%. That is over 340 less people dead and less families affected by losing a family member. What other law enforcement agency do you know that has saved that many lives in a little over a years time. People in AL know that they must drive safely now or the Troopers will remind them with a fine………so guess what, people drive more safely. Its just like being a child, you don’t do what you aren’t supposed to do because you fear the consequence. It if FHP’s job to make all roads in the state of Florida as safe as possible. This does include writing tickets to people who are increasing the risk to me and you while they are driving. You call it generating money and it essentially does but it also safes lives. Doctors generate a lot of money but they also save lives……I bet you don’t feel the same way about them. I do encourage you to do some research on the major improvements the Troopers have made in AL. It will help you to understand the reality of why FHP is doing what they are doing.
SS
If you had read my post, you would have read that I said I have been there. To clarify, I have done that job (law enforcement)-14 years; decorated, with purple heart and citation for valor; retired.
I, too, have friends…and relatives…in law enforcement. Some are local, some are state, and some are federal. Some are even state troopers; I have said the same thing to them.
My initial point was that if public safety was so important, why was only 1% of tickets for DUI and 34% for speeding? I was pondering how many of those tickets were subsequent to wreck investigations. I was also pondering why they weren’t writing tickets that had some merit, i.e., failure to yield right of way, running stop signs and red lights, etc. Those are generally the more accident prone areas.
I still maintain that speeding tickets are mostly revenue generating and have little to do with ‘public safety’ for the most part. I don’t dismiss that speeding is a problem; I feel that it is more of a problem in low speed areas, i.e., school zones, neighborhoods, etc., than on major highways like I-10 or US 29-generally speaking. 40 in a 25 is much more hazardous than 70 in a 60, usually, would you agree?
Since you brought it up, twice, I am using my brain (both college educated sides), I question things that don’t make sense; I don’t follow blindly. I also said that I basically support law enforcement. I don’t buy in to big headlines about numbers when the numbers mean absolutely nothing in practical application.
It’s good that you so vehemently support law enforcement; most folks do. But it is okay to question, don’t you think?
Tickets? Hmmm. Last one I had was in 1980. The last one I handed out was in 1992-for DUI.
Also if you are going by numbers why do you see how many officers were on duty during the days posted that worked the roads. While you’re doing that, check to see how many calls each officer had to respond to, in between writing all of these tickets each of them wrote. I wish you would use your brain before writing stuff on here. I happen to have several friends who are officers of the law. I also am one of those idiots who do break the speeding law & I have several tickets on my record to prove it & I’m not complaining one bit I deserved all of them. I also know how hard it is to get a hold of someone while they (law enforcement) are working, they most of the time have a hard time returning calls within an hour or two due to calls if they return them at all. Now I would rather them write tickets for DUI’s & speeding and help cut down on the harm people could cause to themselves and others. Heaven forbid they take time to eat while doing all of this, they get labeled as lazy! If they were over staffed I would understand you having the right to complain but I would bet anything they were: barely staffed or short staffed already, on top of working 12 hour shifts, answering calls, trying to fit in a lunch break and making sure someone isn’t driving like a bat out of **** either due to their speed or consumption of something. They all have families & try to keep the roads safe for not only their families & themselves but also for you and me!
On another note there is SOOO MUCH more than worrying about the lawbreakers littering our environment! If you are that worried about the environment get a garbage bag & walk the highway on your spare time! I personally want them to worry about something a little more important! The government has the prisoners doing this already I think that is enough, there are much more important things to worry about than cigarette butts on the roads & ditches for our officers to worry about.
For those of you who posted something positive I thank you I know it means a lot for any type of law enforcement!
Also if you want to see if they weren’t really doing anything track down every ticket in the 47,000 that they claim they wrote and see if they worked a wreck in it. I doubt ALL 47,000 were all b/cs of wrecks; they most likely sat in one spot on the interstate and clocked people! As long as they are doing something to protect my family and friends I don’t care if it was during a wreck on while on the streets. Also no one labeled you “SW” anything, you must have assumed that! All I was pointing out why type a negative response & if you are so unhappy with how things are then you try to do their job! Each type of law enforcement, as its own responsibilities while on duty.
City Cops, takes care of local calls inside of city limits & enforcing laws and speeding limits inside city limits.
County Deputies, answer calls outside of city limits, provides back up to city & state troopers & other deputies. They answer wreck calls till the troopers can get there. They can also enforce laws & speed limits in and out of city limits in their county.
State Trooper, responds to wrecks, and enforces laws on the highway & inside the counties. They can also back up other law enforcement.
This is just a short descriptive of what they are required to do, it does not list all but enough to give you an idea THEY HAVE ALOT TO DO! If people would just act right, obey the laws & do the posted speed limits I could see you being able to say “I just don’t support spinning the numbers to make it look like you are doing something you really aren’t.” BUT ANYONE WITH A BRAIN KNOWS THAT WE DO NOT LIVE IN A PERFECT WORLD AND THIS IS WHY WE NEED SOMEONE TO ENFORCE THE LAWS. If they didn’t have idiots breaking the law it would be REALLY HARD TO SPIN NUMBERS!!!!! I don’t see what you living there 14 years has anything do with what you are writing!
All troopers are required to do is work wrecks, write tickets, and occasionally they will back up other officers. They don’t answer calls & complaints like local law enforcement.
The numbers speak for themselves; if a trooper rolls up to your wreck, he’s working and if a deputy or city police officer rolls up to your call for service, he’s working. However, if they are writing tickets for things like speeding and such, it’s revenue generation-pure and simple. I wonder how many tickets could be written at dangerous intersections for failing to yield the right of way and similar violations? How many of these tickets were accident related?
I’m all for them doing their job and I basically support law enforcement; I just don’t support spinning the numbers to make it look like you are doing something you really aren’t. Is Tallahassee trying to justify their existence? Just what is it that Troopers do that local law enforcement can’t?
Before you try to nail me for it being a cop hater; I have been there–14 years.
Get em S.S. I’m glad to know someone has the ability to look beyond the initial observation. You are right.
I think it is great they let you all know that they are doing their job, trying to keep you safe! Here you all are tearing them down, well if you don’t like what they are doing get off your bottoms and apply to work there. They give up time with their families to work 12 hour shifts, holiday or no holiday to protect you. They come to your aid when you are in a wreck, domestic violence call, robbery, but heaven forbid they write you a poor ticket. GROW UP! They risk their lives to do good in the community and here you are cutting them down you should be ashamed. They might not do right all the time while at work but how many of you can say at work YOU DO NOTHING WRONG!!!!!!! I doubt they really go 90 to get to Jalisco’s b/cs that is hard to do with all the turns, stop signs, lights & cars on the road! I doubt you go the posted speed limit all the time either! You take a wonderful article to let them know that their hard work is notice and you cut them down. HECK I don’t blame them if they cut back on their job a little bit b/cs of people like you who point out the negative and never the good in what they are trying to do! SHAME ON YOU!!!!!
At least the troopers are trained and know how to drive safely at high speeds. Im not saying its right but it is better.
im all for drunk drivers being taken off the highway but how often do you see a fhp or escso speeding down the hightway exceeding the speed limit just cause they can cause they have the power to do then when you get down the road you see the same deputy or trooper at frans diner to get a cup of coffee which is pretty much an everyday thing i remember one time i seen about 10 troopers go by myhouse going about 90 mph just to end up at jaliscos in atmore sitting at a table shooting the bull so if they are gonna issue citations for speeding they need to issue them to there selfes also cause they break the speeding law everyday
1.1% of tickets for DUI; 34.5% for Speeding; 9.7% for seatbelt violations. I’m not sure how much public safety as compared to revenue generation.
Only 537 people statewide were caught and charged with DUI. An 8 per county average; and in 19 days, too! 2.4 people per county per day. Wow!
Wonder how many wrecks they worked? I wonder how many DUIs were caught by county and city officers during this same period?
Forgive me for being cynical.
We need someone to ticket the county commissioners an state legislators for “RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT”.
How many of them flying by me doing 55 did FHP give a ticket to???
For CM. You are right—it’s hard to understand some people. In front of Fran’s there are two ( 2) butt containers—yet there are always butts right where you step up onto the porch. I guess some folks just like trash because they are trash. Ref. the FHP and tickets. All those who do not like getting speeding tickets—-raise your right foot.
Now if they could just do something about the lawbreakers littering our environment, alway discarding their cigarette butts out of their vehicles!
How about all those that drive w/ open container all the time?????
They could have wrote all 47,000 on Highway 97 alone!!
Excellent Job FHP, These people that consume alcohol need to plan to always have a designated driver for them, not only if you get stopped by law enforcement will you be arrested for DUI, but they could be in for danger of risking the lives of someone else or themselves, speeders need to slow down; I’m sure whatever it is your going to do, it will still be there when you get there without risking lives with driving at a high rate of speed… People need to get into the habit of buckleing up their seat belts as well, that is the first thing I do before even starting my vehichle and making sure that everyone in my vehicle is buckled up as well…
Great Job FHP!! Keep this up and you will notice traffic deaths fall drastically. Its been proven time and time again. Drive safely and it greatly reduces the risk of crash. Unfortunately it often times takes FHP to remind people to drive safely.
Yippie. I was one in 47,000.