Ticket Revenue Is Up 39%
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Growth in Traffic Aids County Budget
Saturday, June 27, 2009
With traffic congestion clogging Loudoun County's major arteries, and large planned communities still cropping up, the sheriff's office has reported a 39 percent increase in revenue from traffic fines and forfeitures over a two-year period.
Through most of fiscal 2009, which ends Wednesday, the county had collected a little more than $2.1 million in revenue from fines and forfeitures, according to figures provided this month by the department through an open-records request. The comparable figure for fiscal 2007, the last full year for which data are available, was a little more than $1.5 million.
The majority of the revenue for both years is from fines from sometimes costly speeding violations and other moving traffic infractions, not forfeitures, said Kraig Troxell, a spokesman for the sheriff's office. Forfeitures include unclaimed items confiscated by the sheriff's office and later sold by the county through its Surplus Store.
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Loudoun Sheriff Stephen O. Simpson attributed the increase to the growth in traffic on major roadways, including routes 7 and 50, and to several vacant positions being filled at the agency, including nearly three dozen administrative and patrol jobs in the past year. The sheriff's office also fared well in this year's county budget process, avoiding many of the personnel and operations cuts that befell other agencies.
"It's a combination of things, but it's certainly true that we're growing and everyone's growing around us," Simpson said. "If you look at the growth, especially west of us, from West Virginia and Winchester through Loudoun, you're seeing a lot more people driving through."
The number of requests to the county to set up speed traps in neighborhoods has held steady in recent years, said Terrie Laycock, Loudoun's director of the Office of Transportation Services. And pleas for additional traffic-calming measures from the Virginia Department of Transportation, including multi-way stop signs, have continued to pour into her office, Laycock said.
"Particularly in neighborhoods where you have children out playing and people crossing the street, we're still getting complaints," Laycock said. "People want to feel safe, and they're not going to with someone speeding through the neighborhood."
As the county has grown, calls to increase the number of patrol officers have swelled. With 200 full-time patrol deputies, Loudoun is only slightly above its county-mandated staffing level of 0.8 sworn deputies per 1,000 residents.
"I know that staffing at the sheriff's office is not optimal," said Supervisor Stevens Miller (D-Dulles), chairman of the county board's public safety committee. "If adding staff and filling vacant positions is the primary reason we're raising revenue, I'm not going to resist it."
This month, eight cyclists were ticketed by Loudoun sheriff's deputies during a charity race for multiple sclerosis, prompting sharp criticism from a handful of residents who said the tickets were in poor form. But Simpson said an increase in traffic complaints, not a need to raise more money, has fueled the rise in ticket revenue.
"With more construction and these neighborhoods filling up, you're going to get more people and more people speeding through it," he said.
Tagged: Loudoun Sheriff's Office, police, traffic, transportation
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Is that a stock photo shot in Florida or does it reflect the huge number of Florida plates in NOVA these days?
Posted by you-dont (anonymous) on June 28, 2009 at 6:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As a matter of fact (LOL), I got a ticket recently in Sterling and the other car that was pulled over at the time had Florida tags. Though, I don't think the picture with this article is that car. She was driving a VW.
Tickets in Loudoun are like shooting fish in a barrel ... speeding, red light running, blowing through stop signs, wreckless driving ... So easy, a cave man could do it.
Posted by mitlen (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 8:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The increase in ticket revenue is not from growth in the County, we havn't been growing 39% in the last 2 years.
Posted by rprice1134 (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Particularly in neighborhoods where you have children out playing and people crossing the street, we're still getting complaints," Laycock said. "People want to feel safe, and they're not going to with someone speeding through the neighborhood." So how come I see more LEOs on major roads running speed traps instead of the 25mph neighborhood roads? Is it because they can generate more revenue on these major roads? Go run a speed trap in a school zone. Not on route 7 where the speed limit is 55mph.
Posted by mazman128 (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 11:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As state and local governments experience shortfalls in sales and proeprty tax revenue, they have to make up the shortage somewhere. Traffic enforcement is an easy way to do it.
Posted by gieriscm1 (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 12:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Here's an idea: Don't let your kids play in the road, and look both ways when you cross a street! Wow, a solution that doesn't involve spending tax dollars!
Posted by Hoqenishy (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 1:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
people blow through the 4 way stop at Claiborne and Ridgeway DAILY, and through the red light at Claiborne and Broadlands Blvd all the time. will it take an innocent driver who is following the rules of the road being CREAMED and killed by one of these reckless speeders before they will watch these intersections? i'm all for ticketing people who are breaking the law, but please- do it in places where the risk of accidents and injury is higher as well as the easy pickins roads...
Posted by tttrenee (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe if they timed the lights properly, people wouldn't run them. It's really irritating when you sit through an entire light cycle (i.e., a turning lane) and there is not a car in sight. I think they should ticket people driving too slowly and causing dangerous situations.
Posted by ms1234 (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 4:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The key word to this story is the word "REVENUE!". The Sheriff's office made almost $500K more than expected. This increase in revenue *does not* include the money raised for the County under the court (processing) fees.
Fines/Citations/Tickets are not meant to be revenue generators. The Sheriff's office is *not* a commercial business trying to keep their shareholders happy.
Posted by otterit (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 10:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree, is it the job of the Sherrif's department to generate revenue? I have noticed a dramatic increase in speed traps in Loudoun this year. I guess if we are going to use law enforcement as a defacto tax collector we may as well have a police department like Fairfax. After all there is no crime in Loudoun. Sherrif Simpson keep ticketing your voters for minor infractions that cost them fines prcessing fee's and raised insurance cost and we will see you at the poll's.
Posted by sydnorg (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 3:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you don't want to pay the fine, don't do the "crime". Loudoun drivers, clean up your act if you are breaking the traffic rules. It is as simple as that. Congestion and a bad road system are no excuse for bad behavior on the part of drivers.
Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 7:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
to momof2, aren't you so righteous? I bet you drive a minivan.
Posted by ms1234 (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ms1234: I assume that by attacking momof2 instead of her point you concede that she's right.
Posted by dingus5 (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
sydnorg >> my issue is that there is *nothing* a citizen can do if the sheriff or police decide they want to write more tickets to add revenue. there is nothing illegal about finding an easy place to find people violating a law.
Posted by otterit (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
momof2 >> you're 100% correct. however, i doubt there are many drivers on the road that always drive the speed limit, come to a *complete* stop at every stop sign, or signal on *every* lane change. no one is perfect.
in my opinion, the issue has nothing to do with the sheriff writing citations. the deputies are doing their jobs! the problem is when the sheriff's office believes the goal is to earn money for the county. i don't want my law officers having to deal with quotas.
the sheriff is here to protect the citizens and not be an ATM for county projects.
Posted by otterit (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
otterit - I agree with you but I don't think the deputies are out trying to "make" money. They ARE doing their jobs, we as drivers need to watch what we are doing, etc. if we don't want fines.
MS1234 - I may come off as "righteous", but here is the experience that got me to where I am today: I received a speeding ticket a couple of years ago on a road where the speed limit was not clearly marked, where there wasn't much traffic, at a time when I was in a hurry to get one child here and another child there. I hadn't even been stopped for a violation for 20+ years. I am a good, law-abiding citizen, but I was speeding. The deputy gave me ticket, not a warning, as I thought I should get. Was I mad? Yes. But when all was said and done, the person I was mad at was MYSELF. I was wrong to speed. I paid my fine. Now I am more careful, as I should be, for everyone's sake. Why wouldn't I want to share bit of world experience with others before they go out and get an $80 fine or worse yet, cause an accident that insures or kills some precious person.
Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oops - "insures" should be "injures".
Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 12:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
momof2 >> yes. they're doing their jobs. no argument. however, what if the tickets were tied to time off, raises, or other benefits to the sheriff. in my opinion, the deputy/officer should not be used as a revenue generating tool. period.
does anyone know if it is illegal for VA sheriff/police to have a quota system?
Posted by otterit (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 1:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
to dingus - I did not "attack" momof2. My point is (i) the roads / traffic here are horrible; and (ii) some common sense on ALL sides - VDOT, the county, the police, the drivers ... - is needed. A very good friend of mine is an Arlington County detective. When he was a patrolman, I asked him point blank whether there was a quota system. He said no. The ensuing conversation, however, pointed toward yes. I've been pulled over, ticketed at times, warned at others, argued and won & lost in court. It's nothing more than a crap shoot. Get someone on a bad day, and you will be the victim of misdirected irritation. Police officers are no different. They have a dangerous job & have to tolerate all sorts of encounters. Just remember - they have the power of handcuffs. Peace out :)
Posted by ms1234 (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would never be in favor of or defend 1) a quota for traffic tickets 2) deliberately trying to raise money by giving tickets.
Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 5:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
MS1234 - it did seem like you were attacking me! You accused me of - gasp!- driving the dreaded minivan! :)
Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on June 30, 2009 at 5:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm glad you have a sense of humor - & also dislike them :) I said "I bet you drive a minivan." I lose. If we ever meet in Starbucks, latte is on me :)) Have a great day. And finally, for the record, I have been helped - WAY more than ticketed - by police all over the country. I think they have a difficult job - one I couldn't do. For the MOST part, like in everything, they are good people trying to do a good, and often thankless, job.
Posted by ms1234 (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I see both sides of this argument, but do find one thing odd:
The number of speed traps has increased dramatically on Route 28 over the past few months. These coincide with the unveiling of the clover-leaf exit points, and the removal of stop lights. Wasn't the road less safe when it was all stop and go traffic, full of red lights? Seems like a fairly free flowing thoroughfare would be less dangerous than what we're moving away from.
Ahhh, but it does house more speeders.
If it was safer before, then why spend all that money to remove the lights? Seems like a revenue generator from where this taxpayer stands.
Posted by mdellinger (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I like seeing one, two, six police cars everywhere I drive in Loudoun County. If writing tickets for driving offenses keeps that many police around, I'm all for it. I speed too and it will suck when I get caught, but it will also be my own fault.
BTW, They're not just on the major highways. A deputy was running radar on Claiborne today in between the toll road and Ashburn Farm Rd. I see them very often running radar in the school zones on Algonkian Pkwy as well as in the neighborhoods near that area.
Posted by vt_lily (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I used to work in Arlington where if your meter ran out for 5 minutes you'd get a ticket. Any little violation would get you a ticket. The people there could not believe that when I forgot to put my registration stickers on my plate a Loudoun deputy noticed and when I showed him I had the stickers advised me to wait till I got home to put them on so I could wash the spot. NO TICKET. But now the deputies are pulling you over for stuff like this to ticket and that's not useful except for revenue.
I recently passed a deputy who had someone pulled over and having finished with that one, he was alert to my expired tag and hurried to get some more cash. I don't blame him, it's his management making him do it and he was very nice about it. I'd like to return to a time when my police were nice enough to remind me I needed to fix such innocent mistakes whilst they worked on taking care of crime. I'll vote that sentiment next election.
Posted by datdamwuf2 (anonymous) on July 3, 2009 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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