Forced fine quotas for traffic police a sheer violation of law

The local traffic police bureau in the city of Ankang, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, has reportedly ordered its police officers to issue fines of at least 5,500 yuan ($861) a month. Failure to do so means they will not receive their full pay. The bureau later denied the report. Comments:

Using the excuse of quantitative assessment as a fig leaf for its illegal gains in the "enforcement economy", the Ankang traffic police bureau has indirectly confirmed that the illicit enforcement has been gaining ground, as many become inured to it. While its clumsy excuse reveals the absence of supervision and oversight, which makes citizens easily fall prey to such profit-driven enforcement. Such an absurdity can only be corrected when the Ankang police bureau is properly dealt with and more people become aware of the importance of lawful enforcement.

gmw.cn, Aug 15

The key to putting an end to the "fine-oriented economy" lies in a healthy relationship between enforcement of the law and the penalties for violating it; one in which the enforcers are able to complete their assignment without being disturbed by unnecessary evaluations of how they perform their duties. In addition, traffic police should provide a better service to educate those who violate the traffic rules, instead of merely issuing them with tickets.

cnhubei.com, Aug 15

It is understandable that the Ankang traffic police included a variety of criteria to evaluate the performance of its traffic officers and to promote proper and efficient enforcement of the rules. However, such assessments should only be used to determine whether the officers fulfill their tasks in accordance with the relevant laws, how many violations of the traffic rules they correct, and their efficiency in reducing traffic congestion. Thus the "quantitative assessment" of the Ankang traffic police has violated the principles of both traffic enforcement and administration according to the law.

Beijing News, Aug 15

Quantitative assessments may be effective in judging police officers' performances, but they do not necessarily serve as a major indicator, because the mandatory nature of law enforcement may silence most penalty receivers even if they are wronged. Worse, it might deal a blow to social stability and the sanctity of the law if some enforcers are driven by the motivation of gaining illegal profits to do their job.

rednet.cn, Aug 15