Seems to me that would be grounds to appeal a conviction.
Wonder what idiot in the PD decided to go after cops like that? Is the union cool with this?
I've been surprised before but I have to say in reading the article and attempting to apply it to my department a couple things come to mind..
How would an I.A. Detective determine the difference between doing a "good" job and losing and doing a "good job" and winning the case? Very subjective. What is more likely and I base this purely on my experience here, there was a time when some cops would go to court for the overtime, then simply tell the prosecutor at the beginning of the morning that they couldn't recall that particular stop. The prosecutor would then have to try and plead the ticket or lose the case. The cop was dismissed and on his way home in 20 minutes with 3 hrs of OT minimum in his pocket.
So I could see where they would want to monitor something like that, but trying to determine the other stuff the article eludes to doesn't add up.
About the citizen seeing the cop write on the ticket just before the trial.... another thing that doesnt add up. Cops are usually in a room awaiting their time, not in the general public area where the citizens are. With I.A. in the building etc etc, I just find it suspicious a cop would just start writing on a ticket then just show it to someone who asked.. again.. sounds made up.
"If" the entire article is accurate, that's pretty messed up. But looking at it from the inside out, it sounds way to stupid, even for us cops, to be on the money