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October 1, 1998

COPS CASH IN ON CLASSES

TORONTO - Some high-speed drivers are ducking fines and demerit points by taking police-sponsored traffic classes. And Solicitor General Bob Runciman and Transportation Minister Tony Clement are not pleased.

"There are very serious issues," Runciman told the Sun yesterday.

"This has become a revenue stream. My concern is that they are doing this because of budgetary pressures. I don't think the justice system should be utilized for that purpose."

Runciman and Clement may ban the practice. "That is a possibility," Runciman said.

Up to August, Niagara Regional Police, for instance, had grossed $700,000 from the "Option 4" penalty. Under the Highway Traffic Act, police have four options after pulling over a speeding motorist, one of which is offering an offender program in exchange for absolution.

The refresher classes are administered by police forces, which gain from the registration fees.

From this news article, we can make the following observation:

• This speed limit and speeding ticket business is a huge gold mine
• The province is trying to dig into your pocket by posting absurdly low speed limits
• The police is trying to intervene by blocking the revenue stream flow to the province, and directing it to themselves
• Now the province says enough is enough, we want the money back, even if it means banning a supposedly refresher education for bad drivers
• When the police has an incentive in raising funds by administering traffic schools, you can expect massive speed trap activities, instead of catching real criminals. Also you can't expect to be treated fairly. This is called conflict of interest. The enforcement officers should not be the beneficiary (direct or indirect) when money is raised as a result of the enforcement actions.

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