Should Police Officers carry Credit Card machines?
Jul 26, 2009
in
Credit Card Machines
When a cop issues an irrelevant citation that is not a felony, should cops simply offer for you to swipe any major Credit Card to pay for the bill?
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
11 comments
thetravelingmartins on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I don’t think that they should carry credit card machines. But in Germany if you are pulled over for speeding or not wearing a seat belt then you can pay your fine right there by cash. The police will write you a citation and a receipt. I don’t think this would work in the United States though. The police already have enough to deal with without having to keep up with cash. What if they got called out on an emergency and they left their vehicle and someone broke in to it. They could take the cash and credit card machine and do some serious damage. It is a good idea in theory but it is just that a theory that would not work because of our society.
ASKER on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
How will they know if the CC is not stolen one?
Herschel K on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Not a bad idea there. When the Barney Fife flatfoots pull over someone on a ticky tack offer them a quick way out of the nuisance.
jenniferjones on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I don’t think so. I mean it does sound like a good idea, but imagine all the stuff a police officer sees in one day. I would rather them be out there catching the bad guys, then spending too much time on paperwork.
I mean, if someone were robbing you and the the police couldn’t get to you in time ,because they were down the street swiping a card - would it anger you?
weapon_30 on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
The courts already have websites to pay your tickets online. Use/swipe your credit card there. We already have enough to do without adding the title ‘Sales-person’ or ‘Bank teller’ to our job description.
zebj25 on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
No, because that would change the legal justice system as a whole. It sounds good on the surface, but you have to look at things. I’d also guess that you probably would have as much problems with people as you would have problems with unions. I mean, if i got a parking ticket for an expired meter and the agent was still in view, I’d just pay the 35 bucks right there…although you know there’d be some sort of convience fee. But, that would also make it more work for the police and their job is not the same as clerks and the city clerks union would get involved, the PBA would be in court with them AND against them…noone would ever be able to figure out which credit card machine would be used…..and so it would go for about 10 years and it would cost the taxpayers about 15 million dollars in court costs….oh yeah, and they’d never work and always be out of service.
Kevin on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Are you offering to pay higher taxes to pay for a credit card swiper for each and every police officer?
Driller Killer on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
If you pay with a credit card, there is no guarantee that you will pay the credit card company. On top of that, the department would need to pay the service fee for the credit card transaction. Plus with a check, there is more of an ability to track the transaction.
I live in PA and our DMV will only accept check or money order for this reason. They will not take cash or credit.
KittyKat on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
"Irrelevant" citation? Give me a break.
No they shouldn’t have the credit card machines in the cruiser just to make life easier for you. You broke the law, they did their job so take responsibility and haul your whiny butt down to the Court House and pay your fine or mail it in…. or go to court on that "irrelevant" citation and whine to someone there.
It’s called growing up. Take responsibility for your actions and if by chance it really is "irrelevant", go to court and fight it and get laughed out of the room
dr.bucksnort on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
absolutely NOT !! police officers such as my self are not courts
we do not determine your guilt or innocence , we simply file a charge of violation of statue , criminal or traffic , we do not determine your guilt , and never should
VICTOR H on July 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm
are you serious ?……how about offering a 10% discount coupon off of your next citation for making a speedy payment ?. this is not the police officers job nor his responsibility. you must get a lot of tickets if you are starting to feel that you deserve a easier way to pay.