Ok.... I'm going to try to help you... As most of you know, I am a NYC Police Officer. Please, Please, don't confuse us with traffic cops... Traffic cops just give out parking summonses to everyone, even the 'real' cops. They write over PBA cards, parking plaques, and any form of Law enforcement ID....
As for Police Officers, It really depends where the summons was written... I can't compare NYPD to suffolk, and nassau pd's.... What I do know is....
You CAN get pulled over for just not wearing your seatbelt. It is just a fine, and no points on your license... Some cops are ruthless and will not give you a chance to explain, but there are others that will listen.. As for pleading not guilty and going to traffic court, the city is very serious about the police officers going to court, and the cops actually get in trouble for not going. So for the NYPD it is pretty mandatory for us to be there. And if we don't show up, it will be rescheduled, not just dismissed.
I do know we have 'Goals', not quotas
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.... And if we don't reach our 'goals', we won't get days off and will probably be given a hard time for lack of activity.
But remember, NOT all Commands work alike... They all have different Commanding Officers, and they all do things differently.
As for Suffolk PD (Where I live) You can go to traffic court, and both the motorist and the cop, are allowed one rescheduling, then I think in the third show up, if the cop doesn't show, it's in favor for the motorist, I'm not sure what happens if the motorist doesn't show....
As for Nassau PD..... I don't have many kind words for them.... I got pulled over by a nassau highway patrol cop, and he was soooo rude when he walked up to my car, and started screaming at me for 'driving like a lunatic', when in fact I was avoiding an accident..... Even after showing my ID to the officer, not like my uniform I was wearing was hint enough, he still wanted to write me a speeding summons. No courtesy.... This happended right after the London bombong, and I was riding the subways on overtime, and after 17 hours of just overtime, I wanted to go home. And the officer was so rude, and could care less that we both did the same job....
Please remember....... EVERY Police Officer is different... Some of us are actually nice and extend courtesy to other cops and family members, I know I do..... But I can't say the same for the handful out there, that give us a bad name.... I am sorry you recieved a summons, and if you need help with what to say in court, please feel free to FM me, I'll be glad to help!!!!
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