Attorneys: Illegal arrest, traffic stop quota systems ‘widespread’ among DPS
NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - Attorneys representing four Texas Department of Public Safety troopers who filed a lawsuit against their department said the use of illegal arrest and traffic stop quota systems is “widespread” among DPS offices.
The four troopers filed suit against Texas DPS for violating their First Amendment rights and the Texas Whistleblower Act.
The suit claims the troopers were expected to make a certain number of arrests and traffic stops. Under Sgt. Robert Shugart’s command, monetary prizes were offered to troopers reaching a quota for most arrests and traffic stops in a period, the suit reads.
“In these “competitions,” officers in the same small office were pitted against each other. Troopers with the highest numbers of arrests and citations were rewarded, while troopers with the lowest numbers of arrests and citations were harassed, ridiculed, and denied benefits by Shugart."
It’s a practice plaintiff’s attorney Tanner Franklin says clearly violates the Texas Transportation Code.
“And there’s a very good reason for that because it encourages false arrests,” Franklin explained. "It encourages officers to go out and stop people for no reason at all just to meet this number. "
The veteran officers refused to participate, the lawsuit claims.
“They didn’t go against their orders. They went against an unlawful order,” said Franklin.
The complaint states Sgt. Shugart harassed and berated the four troopers. The documents read that two of the troopers were told, “that they were being transferred effective immediately to Houston County, miles from their homes and families.”
The lawsuit also revealed that Sgt. Shugart was stationed in Center before transferring to Nacogdoches. Troopers in Shelby County also raised concerns with the quota system.
Sgt. Shugart also harassed and berated the Troopers. Sgt. Shugart even stalked the Troopers by following them around in his unmarked DPS car. In one instance on April 4, 2019, the troopers observed Sgt. Shugart spying them while they were on break. [Sgt. Shugart told them] that he was “watching them; we’re all watching y’all.”
The four troopers alerted the DPS in 2018 and filed a complaint in 2019, “and that investigation left out every detail that the troopers made their complaints about," Franklin explained.
So they took it to the Office of the Inspector General.
“They actually found almost all the allegations were sustained and true, but DPS just suspended Sgt. Shugart for three days without pay,” Franklin added.
Next, troopers contacted attorney Sean Hightower. He later requested Franklin’s assistance.
“The federal suit is purely a lawsuit. We can’t force DPS to investigate," Hightower said.
He added that illegal quota requirements are widespread.
“By exposing this level is of corruption in the system that doubts the system. That calls into question the people in power," Hightower said.
Texas Department of Public Safety does not discuss pending litigation, and KTRE 9′s attempts to reach Sgt. Shugart were unsuccessful.
The state has 21 days to respond to the lawsuit.
PREVIOUS STORY:
+ 4 Nacogdoches DPS troopers file suit over traffic stop quota system
Copyright 2020 KTRE. All rights reserved.
