Discretionary power, traffic violations and police stops
The discretionary power of police officers is examined as a way to understand their decision-making process when enforcing traffic safety rules and the factors involved in decisions to stop and discipline drivers who violate traffic safety rules are identified. Nineteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with patrol officers (n=15) and division chiefs (n=4). Results indicate that serious infringements almost automatically lead to a stop and a citation. Infringements that fall within the tolerance zone of police officers, police officers being in a bad mood, and time constraints are all associated with a lower risk of interception. Once stopped, young drivers and those with a bad attitude are more likely to be ticketed. Drivers are also more likely to receive a citation when police officers believe that the citation will have some effect. Finally, results suggest that each decision is the result of interactions between a combination of factors : various normative constraints held by the police officer, the nature of the driver and the infringement, the road environment, and the police organization.