Memo fuels ticket quota row

A police memo warning officers their pay could be affected if they did not issue enough traffic tickets has reignited the argument over whether police have operated a ticket quota system.

The memo, written by Levin Senior Sergeant Kris Burbery in January 2005, said traffic duties should make up at least 20 per cent of an officer's time. Officers who did not improve their traffic work could face further action, with a potential impact on their pay.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad and Police Minister Annette King have strenuously denied police are expected to meet a quota of traffic tickets. Earlier this month Mr Broad issued a memo to clarify ticketing policy, which said "general enforcement targets" could be set on a district, area or group basis, but were not to be allocated to individual staff.

The release of the Levin memo comes after that of a Central North Island District police document, which urged staff to "get our ticket count up". The memo said staff who did not increase their performance would be identified and if they did not improve "this may affect their annual pay increments."

Staff who were good performers would have that reflected on their performance appraisals, and Mr Burbery said he was looking at "some other benefits" for top performers.

Police Minister Annette King said there was not, and never had been, a quota for traffic tickets.

"I think it is important ... that any misconceptions from the police around issuing tickets as a quota should be cleared up, which is exactly what the Police Commissioner has done with his directive, and I am pleased there is now a very clear directive from the Commissioner because it reflects the Government's policy."

Mrs King said it was not appropriate that police should be threatened with having their pay affected for not issuing tickets.