Worse still, officers commonly manufactured dangerous situations by stationing themselves in front of fleeing cars or reaching inside of vehicles. The Times investigation found in a number of encounters that officers often seemed to exaggerate the threat to their lives. Only five officers were convicted of crimes in connection with these deaths - but local governments ended up paying at least $125 million to settle about 40 wrongful-death suits and other claims.
Over and over again, prosecutors convinced the courts that the killings were legally justified because the officers felt that their lives were endangered. Many of these motorists ended up dead in stops that began with standard violations like having broken taillights or running a red light. The Times investigation found that over the past five years, police officers have killed more than 400 drivers who were not brandishing guns or knives or who were not being pursued for dangerous crimes. The New York Times lays out these and other issues in an alarming investigation of the culture that too often transforms traffic stops for common violations into unnecessary beatings, car chases or shootings. Ultimately, these departments need to stand down from practices that bring many more people than necessary into contact with the law under circumstances that too often lead to what one district attorney refers to as “ anticipatory killings” by police officers. The situation cries out for departments to change how officers are trained. It also increases the likelihood that motorists stopped for infractions largely unrelated to public safety will be killed or injured during encounters with officers who are trained to view traffic stops as moments of mortal peril. Policing for profit encourages unfair enforcement of the law.
Some police departments across the country have embraced the corrupting and unjust practice of raising revenue for their municipalities by pushing officers to write as many traffic tickets as possible.
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