This became public knowledge because prosecutors are required by law to disclose information they have that can help the defense. To the DA’s credit, he believes that quotas on DUI arrests should be disclosed. Of course the Chief of Police doesn’t believe they have quotas…
Boulder police Chief Mark Beckner denied the department’s use of quotas, but said it does have “performance standards” officers are expected to meet. Those may include striving for numbers of arrests in areas the community demands, he said.
Interestingly, for 2004 the department was scheduled to receive a $50,000 grant if they met a goal of 1000 DUI arrests. It’s not clear if they received it or not, but it sure does stink.
Here are some comments from a local defense attorney…
Boulder defense attorney Mark Langston said the mention of quotas makes any lawyer pause and question why their client was arrested.
“If it’s public safety, then that’s a legitimate concern,” he said. “But if it’s to secure some sort of funding or other benefit … it creates real problems and legitimate questions about what theofficers’ motivations are.”
It could have a real impact, Langston said, on cases with very little evidence that rely heavily on officer testimony. “It’s not fair to the officers either,” he said. “It puts the entire system in an awkward position.”
…Chief Beckner defends the “performance standards” as a way to set goals and hold employees accountable. Read the complete article.
