Ever wonder what, exactly, police officers get out of pulling you over?
Sure you have. It's the only logical explanation - they must get paid by the ticket, as though they're selling vacuum cleaners. It couldn't be the fact that you were driving 64 in a hospital parking lot with an empty wheelchair dangling from your fender. No, it must be those greedy officers.
Truth be told, Florida law enforcement agencies don't pay on commission - that is, officers earn similar paychecks whether they write one ticket or 1,000.
But occasionally, there are incentive programs for law enforcement agencies, such as this year's "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" sustained enforcement effort sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Florida has received some $1.9-million to combat drinking and driving over the next 12 months, and to do so it has asked city and county agencies to step up their patrols.
A couple of weeks ago, representatives from the Institute of Police Technology and Management met in Tampa with local law enforcement agencies to outline a series of prize packages they can win if they meet certain DUI enforcement requirements.
In other words, if you're wondering what it is the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office might get out of stopping you at a DUI checkpoint, here's your answer.
Let's take a look at three possible achievement levels, as described by institute officials: Level 1, the minimum level of enforcement; Level 4, which falls right in the middle; and Level 7, the peak performance level.
LEVEL 1: To reach Level 1, an agency must participate in at least one DUI operation each month. The agency can stage a DUI checkpoint, or it can simply assign additional officers to patrol areas where alcohol-related crashes are common.
Agencies that reach Level 1 will receive a $1,600 prize package consisting of an antenna radar unit or a pair of portable breath test devices. Agencies that reach levels 1-3 are entered into a drawing for a high-tech breath test device or a pair of in-car video systems.
LEVEL 4: At Level 4, things begin to get a little more difficult. Agencies must conduct at least 12 DUI checkpoints between Oct. 1 and Sept. 30, including at least two every three months.
The prizes also get a little sweeter. Reach Level 4, and become eligible for a 6-foot by 12-foot trailer and generator or a solar-powered light-up arrow board - the kind you see in construction zones encouraging drivers to switch lanes. Retail price: $3,700.
LEVEL 7: Law enforcement agencies must conduct at least 24 DUI checkpoints during the year, including at least one a month. That's no small achievement, given how tough it can be to arrange late-night checkpoints.
Prizes include a choice of a high-tech breath test device, a diesel-powered light trailer and a solar-powered arrow board; or a variable message board, which can be used to convey warnings to drivers.
Plus, agencies that reach levels 4-7 are entered into a drawing for the ultimate prize: a new patrol vehicle.
The Level 7 package is valued at $18,000, a figure that would double with the addition of a cruiser.
There are a lot of factors to consider when law enforcement agencies are trying to determine whether they have the resources to run a checkpoint, such as the availability of officers, overtime pay and traffic concerns.
The primary goal, of course, is to reduce the number of drunk driving crashes and deaths. It's difficult work. Setting up a checkpoint is not something law enforcement agencies take lightly - so the prospect of a grab bag of police swag isn't likely to tip the scales one way or the other.
Still, a prize package of $30,000 or more is nothing to sneeze at.
So the next time you curse the officer who issues you a ticket at a DUI checkpoint - "Greedy cop! I only had seven Natty Lights!" - remember that you're part of the sustained enforcement effort.
Celebrate responsibly, though. Law enforcement agencies would be happy if checkpoints and prize levels weren't necessary.
- The Lane Ranger is currently stuck in traffic. But he can be reached at cridlin@sptimes.com
