DUI Arrest Quota Exposed In Alabama

Our Chicago DUI Lawyers found this interesting story from Alabama which exposes that myth that there are no DUI arrest quotas.

Alabama troopers at Birmingham post instructed to cite more for DUI

The number of tickets for DUI written by state police from the Birmingham post doubled in March after a memo from the acting post commander threatened to punish any trooper who did not make at least three DUI arrests by the end of that month.

Trooper officials defended the memo from now-retired Sgt. Steve Bryant and obtained by The Birmingham News. The memo said each trooper should make at least three DUI arrests by the end of March, and that those who failed to do so could lose their day-shift assignments or opportunities for overtime pay.

“We have closed the books on the second month of the year; many of our folks have one or fewer DUI arrests,” according to Bryant’s e-mail, “… advise your personnel that anyone with less than three DUI arrests at the close of March will lose their day shifts and/or extra-duty privileges.”

Our DUI Lawyers in Chicago would love to see the scientific study that concluded that there are numerous drunk drivers that go undetected to justify the thought that the troopers were apparently “missing” DUI arrests. Further, did you notice what the punishment was? “loss of day shifts and/or extra-duty privileges.” Odd, we thought DUI arrests were about public safety – not earning/keeping privileges.

The Birmingham post made 50 arrests in both January and February, but in March the number jumped to 97, according to data provided by the state troopers. In April there were 91 DUI arrests and 117 in May.

Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Martha Earnhardt said she doesn’t dispute that the e-mail contributed to the increased DUI arrests. Earnhardt emphasized the department doesn’t have a quota system.

So we are clear, there is no quota, if that’s what you think. Move along, nothing to see here.