LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Two Los Angeles police officers have won civil suit against the city and the police department alleging a "quota system" for writing tickets.
A jury awarded veteran officers Howard Chan and David Benioff, $2 million each on Monday.
Their lawsuit claimed that their captain at the LAPD's West Traffic Division mandated each officer write up to 18 tickets per day.
Additionally, officers were told they had to give out a certain number of tickets for "big mover" violations like speeding or running a red light, according to the suit. Those offenses carry fines of several hundred dollars for motorists.
Most of the tickets were allegedly written on the city's Westside.
The damages awarded to the officers were for loss of reputation and adverse affects to their careers after they refused to meet the quotas and reported them.
The city attorney's lawyer who defended the LAPD argued the department was simply trying to make roads safer, not meet specific quotas.
The city attorney's office says it is now reviewing the case.
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