Diamond settles lawsuit over traffic ticket quotas

(AP) Attorney General Eric Schmitt has settled a lawsuit against the city of Diamond. His office alleges the city used traffic ticket quotas to generate revenue.

Schmitt on Tuesday announced that the city agreed to immediately stop the practice. The settlement agreement also requires training for top city officials in compliance with Missouri laws against traffic quotas.

According to court records, Diamond’s police chief allegedly wrote on a white board that the city was $5,000 behind. The note instructed officers to write tickets “now.”

Schmitt sponsored legislation during his time in the state Senate that banned ticket quotas and issuing tickets to generate revenue.

The settlement subjects Diamond to a $100 fine for every day of noncompliance moving forward.