Reps. Sweeney, Miller's Bipartisan Legislation Prohibiting Police Ticket Quotas Heads to Governor's Desk

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) today announced the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 114, the Senate companion bill to her bipartisan House Bill (HB) 131, to prohibit ticket and arrest quotas for law enforcement. SB 114 passed the Ohio House by a vote of 91-0 and now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature.

A ticket quota is an arbitrary number of traffic or parking citations that a police officer must issue within a specified time period. Ticket quotas can be used by local municipalities to help generate additional revenue for the city, often at the expense of Ohio residents.

“Currently, in Ohio, it is perfectly legal to mandate that a police officer issue a certain number of tickets every day, regardless of the public safety needs of their community. This is bad for police and bad for our communities,” said Rep. Sweeney. “Law enforcement officers should be evaluated based upon the quality of their police work, not the quantity of tickets they can write.”

Legislation banning quotas has been enacted in 25 other states, including Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

The legislation is also supported by the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (OPBA) and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

“The Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association commends Reps. Sweeney, Miller for working to prohibit ticket and arrest quotas and avoid unnecessary conflict between law enforcement and the people we proudly serve. When agencies arbitrarily dictate a certain number of arrests or citations that an officer must issue to keep their job, the trust between the public and law enforcement, as well as the very nature of constitutional policing, is needlessly tested,” said George Sakellakis, OPBA Director of Organization. “Ohioans must be assured that any citation or arrest is valid, legitimate, and necessary. Police officers, sheriff’s deputies and troopers are true professionals who risk their lives to serve our communities, not revenue generators. They got into this business to protect our neighborhoods, not occupy them. We are thankful that the legislature is tackling this important issue and urge them to pass this bill and end the practice of quotas in Ohio.”

SB 114 now heads to the governor’s desk.