Police officers do not have ticket quotas. Not only is it a common myth, it is also illegal to require officers to meet a certain number of tickets — see RS: 40:2401.1.

As for the Pineville Police Department, there are no secret bonuses, no extra incentives, and no mandates forcing officers to write tickets. Fines collected from citations are split up with only a small portion being returned to the police department. The majority of these fines remain within the court system, funding various programs that support the justice system.

Pineville PD has officers who specialize in traffic enforcement and may write hundreds of citations a year, while others write none. It all depends on their role and assignment.

At the end of the month, when a person gets caught, instead of saying, “I got a ticket so they can meet their quota,” the person should be saying, “I broke the law toward the end of the month and was held accountable.” Citations aren’t about numbers—they’re about holding drivers accountable and keeping the roads safe. One of the worst things an officer has to do is tell someone that a loved one won’t be coming home.

PPD’s goal is simple: public safety. Whether it’s enforcing traffic laws, responding to emergencies, or investigating crimes, PPD works as a team to keep the community safe.