Police State Department…

Let me throw this out….  Police here in Peoria write tickets.  For speeding and running red lights and usually when we are caught, we either think; “I wasn’t speeding or the light was still yellow” or sometimes we know we have been busted and take our licks.

Then there is a Peoria Police Officer by the name of Greg Metz.  Anyone who has had a ticket by him, remembers it.  He is highly decorated and lauded by the Police Department and has probably written more DUIs downstate than anyone.  That’s a good thing. But consider for moment….

About 3 years ago, I was driving west on Main Street just passing Bourland in the right land.  Traffic was fairly heavy and the light ahead at University just went red.  I was slowing and noticed an officer going east on Main, turn on his lights, pop a U-turn.  I pulled even closer to the curb, by the Chinese place next to One World, thinking he must have a call and I need to give him space.  Much to my surprise, he pulled up behind me.  Got out and pronounced I was going 36 in a 30.  What?  That is impossible and I told him he must be mistaken.  After all how could he have picked me out in all those cars, popped a U turn and pulled me over.  I got the ticket and he apologized for stopping me and told me to take the class to get it off my record.  That was Officer Greg Metz.  Ok, can’t fight this, so I took the class, paid $125 to do it, and the ticket is gone. Hey, maybe I was speeding and day dreaming.  He’s an officer of law, why would he say I was if I wasn’t?  How did he catch me?  He was going the other way and there were a lot of cars around me?  Oh well..

Now today, driving north on Sheridan Rd.  Doing 30 mph and come to the light at Nebraska. On my right is a police car that is stopping because the light just turned red for him.  My radar detector is going off like crazy.  It’s Metz.  The light goes green, I head north on Sheridan with 3 cars behind me.  As I approach McClure I can see in my mirror the flashing headlamps and red and blue lights of a police car going up fast from behind.  The cars behind me, all 3 of them pull to the side as he passes and I do too.  Surprise! He pulls in behind me.  What the fuck?  41 in a 30!  Bullshit.  He asks for no license, no insurance card, just the year of the car.  Goes back and within 3 minutes, I have a ticket for 41 in a 30 and it says at Meadows and Sheridan.  I couldn’t have gotten a car up to 41 by Meadows Ave if it was a dragster! That is just a block past Nebraska.  I say that is impossible.  He says.  “It is, just take the class!”

Ok, I can whine about this but what good what it do?  I’ll take the class and be out $125 again.  But, what if Officer Metz is just writing tickets to be writing tickets?  What recourse do we have?  I was not speeding and how could he tell I was with 3 cars between us?

I am now convinced that Metz is a cowboy.  He’d write his mother a ticket and like the time on Main St he was wrong and he was wrong again.  My respect for the police has just dropped a bit today because this guy writes tickets and nobody calls him on it.  Who would know?  I mean, a highly decorated cop against your word?

It scares me……. This time it really does because I was aware of him at the light, my radar detector was sounding like a trapped bird, and I was watching my speed.  Yet, inside of 3 minutes, I got ticketed for going 11 mph over the limit.  Bullshit.

Maybe someone should hold some of our officers responsible for their actions? Who is to say that Metz simply was making his monthly quota?  Who is to say that an officer like Metz, can’t simply pick someone out and write them a ticket?  Who is going to fight it? Nope, like sheep, we simply either pay or take the class and hope we can avoid contact the next time….  No, after thinking about this and the last time, I am sure something is wrong here. Because of the last time, I was fully aware of Metz and my actions as far as my driving.  I was fucked.  Now Metz owes me dinner at least.  After all, dinner and a good screwing go hand in hand right? 

Yeah yeah, shut up and pay the fuckin ticket.  Move on…..