Traffic tickets down

Police blame pandemic, new accountability law

Police cite accountability law as reason for fewer traffic stops.

The number of traffic tickets issued for speeding, distracted driving and other violations plummeted last year, a drop that police attributed to both the coronavirus pandemic and the police accountability law.

Total tickets dropped from 216,296 issued from March 19 through Dec. 31, 2019, to 74,346 last year during the same period, figures from the state Judicial Branch show. The number of charges (a single ticket may include more than one charge) sank from 243,305 to 85,851 in the same comparison.

Several police union leaders said officers were stepping back from proactive traffic enforcement due to anger and concerns over a sweeping police accountability bill that became law last fall.

“This pull-back is not some organized conspiracy among cops, or even intentional,” East Hartford police union President Frank Iacono said. “It’s a natural reaction by officers to the actions of the legislature to protect ourselves and our families from undue liability and politically motivated prosecutions.”

“I think there are multiple things at play here,” Manchester police union President Lt. John Rossetti said. “Obviously, COVID caused officers to attempt to decrease their interactions, if possible. But just as important, law enforcement has simply endured a total lack of support from the local leaders, the lawmakers and much of the public in general.”

Several department spokesmen, however, said the pandemic had more to do with the decline in tickets than anything else.

“April was the first month we saw a significant drop, which was clearly precipitated by the COVID19 pandemic, predating any discussion about the police accountability bill,” Glastonbury police spokesman Lt. Corey Davis said.

“There were less cars on the road due to many people working from home and the closure of restaurants and retail businesses,” Davis said, “and officers wanted to limit their personal contact with the public at the time to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

“I do not have evidence or data to support that officers are less willing to stop vehicles because of the police accountability bill,” West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick said. “I do know that for several months during the pandemic, people were not working or they were working from home. As a result, there was virtually no vehicular traffic on the highways and local roads.”

State police spokesman Trooper Josue Dorelus said, “I think it’s safe to say that the difference is definitely COVID. It’s not that there’s a lack of motivation to enforce the laws.”