Controversial DUI Laws in Georgia

The latest controversy in Georgia DUI law news is quotas. Georgia police officers that work in the city of Roswell were mandated to arrest at least 25 driving under the influence (DUI) suspects every year or face repercussions, as reported by a Georgia newspaper.

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Quota Or Not

A Georgia law enforcement spokesman said that it wasn't necessarily a quota because quotas are against Georgia law enforcement policy. However officers were told that 25 driving under the influence arrest per year were now mandatory by management.

Jump In Arrest Reported

Right after this it was reported that officer that was not making the "quota" was transferred to a less desirable shift which also meant a cut in pay. The officer's supervisor stated that the officer was not up to par.

Only A Benchmark

Georgia law enforcement official say that the DUI goal was just a benchmark to check officers productivity and the 25 arrest mark was more of a goal than a quota. It was used as a measuring tool in the Georgia city and that at least 2 driving under the influence arrest per month was not an unreasonable goal.

Tool To Increase Arrest

From 2008 to 2009, the number of drunk driving arrest by law enforcement in the area fell by 2 percent from 709 to 693. After the "quota" was mandated, driving under the influence arrests jumped by 44 percent when compared to the same time the previous year.

DUI Defense Attorney Counter

DUI defense attorneys that specialize in DUI defense are concerned that mandated quotas pressure law enforcement officers to press cases when there is not enough evidence to make arrest. Making marginal case that would not have normal led to arrest show up in Georgia court rooms. Mandated quota also opens the door for legal challenges in the future. It puts pressure on officers to arrest and not judge fairly.

Quotas Lead To Problems

Focus on numbers in other Georgia law enforcement departments led to a fatal shooting of a 92 year old women in 2006. Officers were mandated then to arrest 9 people per month and execute 2 search warrant per month or face transfers to less desirable positions they could also lead to less pay.

Societal Implications Of Quotas

So most experts say that the societal implications here are very clear. If a law enforcement officer is forced o arrest people based on a quota he is motivated to make more and more arrests due to the fact that he is motivated by monetary goals, advancement and the fear of disciplinary actions against him or her.