ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) - Connecticut state police troopers may have falsified thousands of traffic tickets.
WFSB reports a recent audit found nearly 26,000 fake tickets.
According to an internal investigation, troopers falsified tickets for their own personal benefit as those who appear productive are often eligible for federally funded overtime.
And lawmakers are now demanding answers.
Governor Ned Lamont said those who intentionally wrote bogus tickets should be let go, including management.
The audit also reportedly found that troopers not only falsified thousands of tickets but more than 32,000 were inaccurate.
“Those people should go, and I think their management should take a look at themselves as well,” Lamont said.
Ken Barone with the Public Policy Institute at the University of Connecticut pushed for the audit.
According to Barone, this has raised concerns about skewing racial profiling data.
“The records that should have been likely reported to the system were not,” Barone said.
Officials said it’s possible hundreds of state troopers were involved in falsifying tickets.
Lawmakers are scheduled to hold a hearing on the matter on July 27.
“Losing the lack of trust of the public in a situation like this has dire consequences for our sense of public safety,” said Rep. Jason Rojas.
Some of the troopers may face criminal charges.
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otter111a on July 19th, 2023 at 13:10 UTC »
So they created fake tickets, assigned them to fake white males, this skewed racial profiling data but also earned them federal bonus checks somehow for being productive?
Why is there a federal program that encourages cops to write tickets?
angmarsilar on July 19th, 2023 at 12:43 UTC »
"Governor Ned Lamont said those who intentionally wrote bogus tickets should be let go, including management."
But when the rubber meets the road, not one cop will lose their job over this. The politicians will either take the attitude of 'let's create a little bluster until this blows over' or the unions will get involved and the pols will be let off the hook. "We fought and tried to get to the bottom of this but the union rules won't let us. Sorry."
Aleyla on July 19th, 2023 at 12:20 UTC »
Every single time, regardless of profession, a certain act has money attached to it then people will find a way to play that system.