Alabama Troopers - Tickets / No Warnings

[Julian1]

I was n-bound on hwy 431 in Randolph Co (east) Alabama on Tuesday.

52 years old and this is my first speeding ticket.

I wasn't paying attention to speed....oops. Trooper behind a truck turned around and wrote me 74 in a 55. He thanked me for pulling over before he could finish turning around and having my paper work ready. But he told me he had to give me a ticket.

I found out from talking with folks, Alabama Troopers cannot give warnings. Wednesday I was driving home running 73 in a 70 and I was the fastest car on the road so I backed it down to 70. Even the big rigs are taking it easy.

Does anyone know if county and city agencies are using this new method of traffic enforcement.

I understand it has helped reduce the accident rate too.

If I had been running my scanner instead of listening to my a.m. I might of picked up his Pac-Rt and slowed down.

 

[wwhitby]

I had a friend who retired from the Troopers several years ago. His policy was to give a warning for anything less then 15 over, and a ticket for 15 or more over. He told me that was a pretty common policy with the Troopers he worked with at that time. I've been told now that Troopers are now giving tickets for 10 over or more. Since you were going 74 in a 55, you were going too fast to get off with only a warning.

I haven't heard anything about them not giving out warnings anymore. In fact, the one time that I got pulled over by a Trooper, I got a warning. During the last speed enforcement effort they did, there were some Troopers that only gave warnings, since there weren't enough ticket books to go around.

Warren

 

[Steve]

Is just the new administraion/command people trying to figure out whats going on.
The new Colonel is former Secret Service and the new Highway Patrol Major is the former Drivers License Major. The new HP Major is/has always been stirring things up. I know I may get chewed out about "badmouthing" the HP Major but I am just speaking from what I saw as a PCO. Enough ranting, in the end this ticket writing blitz will stop. Reason, judges will grow tried of the cases and the number of Failure to Appear warrants will bury the Circuit Clerk offices and Trooper Posts.

Just my 1/2 cent worth
An Old PCO

Steve
KD4LCY
KAF9087

 

[dave911]

A State Trooper wrote me a warning. I was in uniform, though. He did have a book of warning tickets.

 

[SAR923]

My daughter was stopped during the last "safety blitz" for doing 56 in a 45. It was an unmarked unit with blue lihgts in the windshield and grill. She did what I told her to - drive to a well lighted area before stopping. She stopped at a gas station. The trooper was in uniform but it was a polo shirt and BDU's. He told her what she was clocked at and told her he was going to give her a warning because he didn't have any ticket books. According the warning, he was an ABI agent. I assume he was pulled off working actual criminal cases to drive around and give people warnings because no one had the foresight to wonder if they had enough ticket books to give to the 200 extra troopers on the road.

Silly.

 

[Steve]

Sorry for being so negative but the whole extra enforcement thing boils down to a publicity thing. The "new" head folks are trying to show they are trying to handle the "traffic" concerns in the State. But even with all of the "increased" enforcement I believe last weekend 9 people still died in traffic crashed in the State. The "goals", while noble, in the will fall short. And as Jim made mention of, all of the things that the "extra" Troopers normally do fall by the wayside with they are out "being seen".


Steve
KD4LCY
KAF9087

 

[RadioJonD]

One month from tomorrow will be my first year away from DPS. Like Steve, I could rant about some of the folks in charge there now. Still, I feel a responsibility not to air in-house "dirty laundry". Suffice to say, one top cop in the Highway Patrol Division has no business in law enforcement in the first place. Just call any Trooper Post and listen to how PCOs have to answer the phone AFTER the automated system has told the caller practically the same thing. By the time you actually get to speak, you've forgotten why you called, or your marginal cellular signal has dropped! One can not explain that to a higher up that hasn't ever sat in the seat of a PCO.

The troopers on the road are not allowed to think for themselves. They have less and less discretion as to their enforcement practicies. They are stampted out like cookie cutters. They are more robot than human. You can count the number of people that are happy in the Highway Patrol Division on one hand. They deserve better. Sadly, management is in the place of true leadership right now at DPS, especially the HP Division.

Yes, accident rates are down. To date, 253 less accidents have occured statewide than at this time last year. Sign up for daily updates at http://subscription.crdl.ua.edu/Subscribe.aspx Just remember that the result has been at the expense of the emotional well being of the people responsible. Management will look at the numbers. Leadership will look after the troops and acheive the same goal.

I got worn out from waiting around for the next good wave and it even got worse after I left. About all else I'll say is "I'M SO GLAD THAT I'M OUTTA THERE!"

Thanks for letting Steve and me rant! We remember the good days. One day they will return for the folks still in DPS.

 

[PortCop]

74 in a 55

19 over the limit? I wouldn't give you a warning either :lol:

 

[KU4WW]

One month from tomorrow will be my first year away from DPS. Like Steve, I could rant about some of the folks in charge there now. Still, I feel a responsibility not to air in-house "dirty laundry". Suffice to say, one top cop in the Highway Patrol Division has no business in law enforcement in the first place. Just call any Trooper Post and listen to how PCOs have to answer the phone AFTER the automated system has told the caller practically the same thing. By the time you actually get to speak, you've forgotten why you called, or your marginal cellular signal has dropped! One can not explain that to a higher up that hasn't ever sat in the seat of a PCO.

The troopers on the road are not allowed to think for themselves. They have less and less discretion as to their enforcement practicies. They are stampted out like cookie cutters. They are more robot than human. You can count the number of people that are happy in the Highway Patrol Division on one hand. They deserve better. Sadly, management is in the place of true leadership right now at DPS, especially the HP Division.

Yes, accident rates are down. To date, 253 less accidents have occured statewide than at this time last year. Sign up for daily updates at http://subscription.crdl.ua.edu/Subscribe.aspx Just remember that the result has been at the expense of the emotional well being of the people responsible. Management will look at the numbers. Leadership will look after the troops and acheive the same goal.

I got worn out from waiting around for the next good wave and it even got worse after I left. About all else I'll say is "I'M SO GLAD THAT I'M OUTTA THERE!"

Thanks for letting Steve and me rant! We remember the good days. One day they will return for the folks still in DPS.

Jon, sounds like the company I work for. The management knows NOTHING, but older hands like I (20+ years experience) mean NOTHING to them either. It's all about "points" for them - not right or wrong. Gets frustrating. Guess that's why I enjoy my slow leisurely drive home each day.

I got two speeding tickets in 1985. That was enough for me. I just leave earlier now. Now, watch me get a speeding ticket tomorrow, lol.

Take care.

Jeff

 

[Randmaster]

This all sounds like the "taking back our highways" campaign. Whatever the State Troopers are doing, they are doing one heck of a job!

 

[SAR923]

They are? Come down to my area and sit on Highway 82 about 10 miles out of Prattville. I could write 50 citations a day with one radar unit and two chase cars. Of course, that's assuming there were ever any troopers on 82. I've seen three in one and a half years of living here. They are spending too much time on Interstate 65, where the fewest number of deaths from accidents occur, and not enough time on "Death Alley", Highway 82, where we've already had 9 deaths just in this area this year. If the object is to prevent deaths, they aren't doing a good job down here.

 

[trace1]

They are spending too much time on Interstate 65, where the fewest number of deaths from accidents occur, and not enough time on "Death Alley", Highway 82, where we've already had 9 deaths just in this area this year.

Well I've certainly seen 'em on I-20 between B'ham and Anniston!!!

Apparently, several crossover accidents have occurred on the stretch between I-459 and Anniston. In response to these accidents, ALDOT is installing a "Jersey" barrier median along this stretch. The speed limit also remains low because of the high accident rate along this stretch.

I'll be glad when all the construction is over...

 

[SAR923]

I'm sure you have, Trace1, as I've seen them on Interstate 65. It a very citation-rich environment. You don't have to work very hard to corral a whole bunch of speeders per hour. If the main reason for enforcement is to produce revenue, then they are doing the right thing. If the main reason for enforcement is prevent injuries and death, they are doing the wrong thing. Highway 82 is heavily traveled every day with log trucks going 80 being passed by cars going 90. It's much worse on Tide home game Saturdays, when you add the inevitable bunch of drunken yahoos to this already volatile mix. The troopers should be doing maximum enforcement every game day but I've never seen them (or heard them on the scanner) doing so.

In regards to crossover accidents, jersey barriers (or K-Rail, don't know which one is the most common term down here) should have been installed at a lot of interstate locations a long time ago. Many parts of I-65 in this area provide only a very narrow median with a dip in the middle, which is excellent for launching cars into oncoming traffic. Most states went to K-Rail barriers a long time ago to prevent crossover accidents. Once again, Alabama is behind the power curve on something.

 

[trace1]

Once again, Alabama is behind the power curve on something.

Actually that'd be a lot of somethings and that'd be a whole new topic.

 

[Steve]

Unless some thing has changed, Troopers/DPS see little if any of the money from tickets/citations. Most of if not all of the money goes to the Court System and the Counties. Next time someone hears of a County building a new jail, especially a smaller County, more than likely the fees and fines in that County will be increased.

This "no warning" fiasco was started by 1 person within DPS and it has become a joke that has hurt morale of the "good" road Troopers. Yes, there are some Troopers that have no idea of what being a Trooper is but the "good" Troopers are hard to beat.
Now off my rant, again. Hope everyone has a good day. I am off to B-Ham with my Mom for her doctor's appointment. Finally I get to listen to B-Ham/JeffCo and surrounding area
while not driving. Oh the joy of small things.


Steve
Old Grumpy retired PCO