Protesting cops giving fewer tickets?

March 31, 2007

Aurora police officers have been issuing fewer tickets in recent weeks to protest the suburb's Human Relations Commission and its proposed subpoena powers, sources said.

After an Aurora police union meeting March 13, many patrol officers decided to give tickets only when absolutely necessary as a way to object to the commission's proposed ability to subpoena police officers, sources say.

The commission would hear complaints from residents who feel they were wronged by an individual or group, including the cops.

Aurora Police Chief Bill Powell has heard rumors of a ticket slowdown but would not confirm it's happening. "It's no secret that union leadership is a little perturbed by that human resources issue," Powell said. "If in fact I find out that [a slowdown] is happening, I think that would be a sad statement on union leadership and bordering on illegal."

Sun-Times News Group