For those of you in the Houston area, I spent a couple of hours this evening chatting with an HPD officer I know, and managed to gain a little info that I thought you guys might like to know.  It seems HPD is going to be increasing the amount of officers they have writing traffic citations in two ways:

#1  Increasing the number of motorcycle officers by 400 over the next 4 years.  Each officer will be given a designated section of freeway to patrol, and will be expected to be in that area unless he is eating or on a restroom run.  Currently, motor officers are expected to write 10 tickets a day.

#2  Increasing the number of officers assigned to the radar task force.  I'm not sure how many they will add, but there are currently about 15 officers on the task force, and they are expected to write 40 tickets a day.  Also, these officers spend all day in court one day a week, so they WILL be there if you happen to get caught.

I'm not sure when these changes will be taking effect, so watch just how far you let your lead foot fall.

ViseGrip

10 and 40 tickets a day, but that sounds like a quota! No, wait, thats a performance target. Never mind.

I've seen an increase already over the last few months on the NE (59N) expressway.  I assume that they'll bring in more money in fines with those ticket quotas than it'll cost to field them?

Have they sold the space on the side of the firetrucks for advertising yet, I heard they were going to do that too.  

City of Houston is in the red and trying to make up for it *L*

Quoted: City of Houston is in the red and trying to make up for it *L*

Yep, revenue generation.  Now don't ask them if they've done anything productive about crime.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Yeah god forbid they catch that guy that's going around raping other MEN!

why can't they bother people who run down the wrong lane of a freeway just so they can cut over to avoid waiting in line?  

If they cut down of the "crackheads" and "clowns" more power too them.  Speed isn't what kills its moron monkeys who push their junk down the freeway weaving in and out - and little women in BIG SUV's on the phone while putting on make up.  

The Northbilly -

Quoted: Yeah god forbid they catch that guy that's going around raping other MEN!

That's happening in Houston right now?  I was just down there 3 weeks ago and hadn't heard anything like that.  I'm assuming he's armed.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Quoted: Yeah god forbid they catch that guy that's going around raping other MEN!

What?

Got any links to this?

Quoted: Quoted: Yeah god forbid they catch that guy that's going around raping other MEN! That's happening in Houston right now?  I was just down there 3 weeks ago and hadn't heard anything like that.  I'm assuming he's armed. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

It just happened within the last week or so.  I forget his name but he was a PRIOR convicted sex offender that was supposed to be staying at some local half-way house.  Apparently he quit showing up. An acomplice and him pinned down some random guy and sodomized him.  They said nothing about weapons.  The story didn't get much air time.  I haven't heard of anything about his capture so I can only assume the worst.  

Here's a link to his pic

www.crime-stoppers.org/houston_sex_offenders_archives.php

His name is Joseph Bush. Upper left hand corner.  It says he's been apprehended but that's the same picture they used on the news so it might be an old conviction.  It also says "parole violation" but nothing about sodomy so I'm continuing to believe it's old.  


Unfortunatly a search for Joseph Bush turns up a bunch of stuff about GWB so continue to walk around with your cheeks clenched.

Quoted: Quoted: City of Houston is in the red and trying to make up for it *L* Yep, revenue generation.  Now don't ask them if they've done anything productive about crime. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Actually in large cities like Houston ticket revenue is generally less than 1% of the entire city income.  It is just not a factor.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: City of Houston is in the red and trying to make up for it *L* Yep, revenue generation.  Now don't ask them if they've done anything productive about crime. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... Actually in large cities like Houston ticket revenue is generally less than 1% of the entire city income.  It is just not a factor.

It sounds like that percentage is about to go up though.

Quoted: Here's a link to his pic www.crime-stoppers.org/houston_sex_offenders_archives.php His name is Joseph Bush. Upper left hand corner.  It says he's been apprehended but that's the same picture they used on the news so it might be an old conviction.  It also says "parole violation" but nothing about sodomy so I'm continuing to believe it's old.   Unfortunatly a search for Joseph Bush turns up a bunch of stuff about GWB so continue to walk around with your cheeks clenched.

Ugly bastard isn't he?