Connecticut State Police submitted at least 26,000 fake traffic tickets from 2014 and 2021, according to the findings of a recent audit of the department’s records.
The audit, conducted by Matt Ross, an associate professor of public policy and economics at Northeastern University, and Ken Barone from the University of Connecticut, revealed that 387 troopers and constables had submitted thousands of fake tickets. Ross estimates that the total number of fake tickets could be as high as 58,533, although only 26,000 tickets were verified to have no actual recorded traffic stop associated with them.
The fake tickets made state troopers and constables seem more productive, putting them in line for certain perks and promotions. The thousands of false records also distorted the state’s racial profiling traffic stop data, making it appear that state police were ticketing more white drivers.
