Quotas for Austin DWI Arrests?
“Does the Austin DWI Task Force have arrest quotas?”
I get asked this semi-frequently by folks recently arrested for DWI. I can tell you that the officers will testify, under oath, that there is not.
And, depending on the definition of the word “quota”, that may or may not be true.
It’s almost definitely true that individual officers are not told “You need to make X number of DWI arrests tonight,” or “You must average Y number of arrests per week/month,” etc.
But I do remember** former Austin police chief Stan Knee being quoted in an Austin American Statesman article, March 4th, 2006 as saying:
“This community needs to take seriously driving while impaired…We will make 6,000 DWI arrests in 2006.”
Bear in mind that the article itself had just acknowledged that fewer than 6000 DWI arrests were made in Austin for 2005. I think you can make a pretty good argument that the chief of police was coming pretty close to not just predicting, but mandating an increase in arrests.
What’s the difference between telling one individual officer “You must make an average of 5 DWI arrests per shift,” vs. predicting not only an increase, but a threshold level of expected arrests for the department as a whole? Just a little math and some semantics, I suppose.
[**I usually link to sources, but unfortunately, the Statesman free archive does not go back far enough. Anyone caring to pay a “small fee” to access the article can do so here.]
Is it illegal for the cops to have 'quotas'? In my DWI tape 2 officers discuss hitting their 'quotas' already. They are both on the DWI task force so it would be difficult to assume that they could be talking about any other type of quota.
I was arrested for 1st offence DWI(misd.)in Nueces County TX. on 5/20/2001 set for trial on 1/21/2001, of course I didnt make that date. Court error. Im from DE, so I took the arresting officers advise. {he said go back to DE yankee} So I did. Consequently I wasnt able to renew my DE drivers license. Recently my wife and I were traveling through Dallas she got pulled over. The policeman ran both of us through the computer and determined I had a 8 year old warrant for failure to appear. He took me to jail. I bonded out for the original DWI(Misd) charge first offence. I now have a court date/arraignment on 8/14/2009 My wife and I live in HotSprings AR now and have been for the 2 years. Since I cleared the Computer of my warrant in TX I have been able to obtain a AR drivers license. Which I would very much like to keep. My question is, Since I was only charged with the misd.1st. offence DWI can I be charged with a felony DWI when I go to trial in the event it is discoverd it would be my third? The other DWI's are over 15 years old and they are from DE. Does the statute of limitations aply here. Can they actually convict me of a felony or do they have to charge me with one within 3 years of the original offence? I know drinking and driving is a crime and I certainly dont ever plan on doing it again. My wife and I have been married to for almost 8 years and we have a good life together. Wish I would of found her along time ago.
The police departments do not use the word "quotas" instead they use the term "productivity" in keeps them out of the red-and yes they use it to the fullest extent especially in small towns. My husband is an officer and cannot stand that the higher ranking jerks (my words) are able to get away with it.