Cop allegedly told to bump up red light, seatbelt ticket quota

A New York City police officer who was fired for handing traffic tickets to dead people claims he was doing it to meet the department's monthly quotas.

The New York Police Department's Paul Pizzuto, 41, was officially fired in June after pleading guilty in court to three counts of falsifying business records, reports the New York Post, and being sentenced to 150 hours of community service.

Pizzuto and another officer confessed in May to issuing illgetimate summonses to motorists they'd ticketed before, some of whom had since died. A third officer was cleared of similar charges.

Pizzuto alleges, however, that he was pressured into the bogus ticket scheme after his superiors told him to up the number of summonses he was handing out – specifically summonses for red light- and seat belt-related violations – higher than the 125 to 150 he was already issuing monthly.

The NYPD deny such quotas exist.

Pizzuto, an NYPD veteran with 17 years on the force, is now suing his precinct in a Manhattan Supreme Court because he was fired without being given a proper disclipinary hearing.

The NYPD contends his actions constitute an "oath of office" offense – a crime arising from "knowing or intentional conduct indicative of a lack or moral integrity” – which do not require a hearing, the New York Post reports.

(New York Post via AutoBlog)