Police officers object to bonuses for traffic tickets

Montreal's union of police officers is upset by a new program launched by the city of Montreal.

The Police Brotherhood objects to senior police officers getting bonuses based on how many tickets are given out by the officers they supervise.

Yves Francoeur, the president of the union, calls it indecent and unethical.

"We're not selling hot dogs, we're not selling bicycles, and we're not selling cars. Our core business is the public security," said Francoeur.

"Our concern is and has to be the public security, the security of citizens."

Under the new system police commanders can earn bonuses of between $9,000 and $12,000 per year depending on how many tickets are issued by their subordinates.

There are also bonuses linked to arrests, response times for calls, and other factors.

The city of Montreal has been complaining for the past two years that police officers have been giving out fewer tickets.

The union says the reason for the drop in tickets is because there are 130 police officers doing traffic duty, and drivers have changed their habits.

"Ten years ago it was a free-for-all on the roads," said Francoeur.

Many other people note that the drop in traffic tickets came at the same time as Montreal police started wearing camouflage pants and red baseball caps to protest changes made to their pension plans by the provincial government.