Monday, October 26,2009
In Dallas, six police officers have given out false tickets to 39 for people not speaking English. One particular officers was responsible for five of them. This law doesn't exist, but many of them have sent their payments in to the city anyway. Training officers who were learning how to give citations are given the option from a pull down list on the computer to cite for a non-English speaking driver, which pertains to certain truck drivers. Even those these trainees were making honest mistakes, Sgts. were still signing off on the citations and were well aware of what was written on the tickets.
Of course, the names of the officers are not being released. For those who have paid the "fines", their money will be sent back to them. For those who have a ticket pending, it will be dropped. I think it is ridiculous that someone would actually think that not knowing English was a crime. I may believe that it's important to know English, it does not mean it should be a crime not to. This shows just another way that police use their power to enforce what they believe should be laws. Also, officials are using their power to keep the names of those citing people a secret. It is unfair because any regular person in society that commits a crime immediately has their name thrown in the news and is publicly humiliated. Apparently, these officers don't "deserve" the same scrutiny.
Of course, the names of the officers are not being released. For those who have paid the "fines", their money will be sent back to them. For those who have a ticket pending, it will be dropped. I think it is ridiculous that someone would actually think that not knowing English was a crime. I may believe that it's important to know English, it does not mean it should be a crime not to. This shows just another way that police use their power to enforce what they believe should be laws. Also, officials are using their power to keep the names of those citing people a secret. It is unfair because any regular person in society that commits a crime immediately has their name thrown in the news and is publicly humiliated. Apparently, these officers don't "deserve" the same scrutiny.
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