Why are officers writing tickets instead of catching real criminals?
Utilizing traffic stops is one of the most effective and common ways for a patrol officer to come into contact with and apprehend “real criminals”. Tickets and warnings are written by officers but they are specifically written to promote public safety. Writing a ticket/warning is just one outcome of a traffic stop. The traffic stop itself is a useful tool to combat criminal activity. The “high visibility” of a traffic stop is noted by the Oro Valley community and by those who wish to engage in criminal activity. Because of the traffic stop’s high visibility, it is not uncommon for a defendant to tell an officer they knew better then to drive through Oro Valley. With that, criminals are not shy to admit it is good practice not to conduct criminal activity in Oro Valley. The Oro Valley Police Department works hard to maintain its proactive policing philosophy, opposed to waiting for crime to happen and be reactive. In addition to traffic stops, officers’ conduct a significant portion of
