[Jeff Higgins]

Low paying job? Seattle has billboards up advertising starting positions at $75k per year. That's more than engineers start at here where I work. It's not unusual in the least for senior officers to make over $150k with overtime.

The AAA rates Washington as one of the worst top few states in which to drive. The driving factor in our horrible rating is the heavy handed, unjust and, dare I say, un-Constitutional enforcement of our traffic laws by all agencies. It is purely a money-making racket these days. This is all driven by a change in traffic court procedures introduced on the sly in the mid 1980's. In Washington, we have:

No right to representation.
No right to a jury trial.
No right to appeal.

Plus, the standard of evidence required of the police and prosecutor is that of "preponderance". You legal types know what that means - 51% of the available evidence, a standard used in civil court to decide disputes between citizens. It was never meant to be used by the state against its citizens.

This has left us with speed traps everywhere and notably dubious enforcement. Many jurisdictions now budget based upon the inclusion of traffic fine revenue. Officers write spurious tickets, and we have no chance of winning in court except on a paperwork mistake by the officer.

Many of us Washingtonians are beyond frustrated with this. I know the situation is better in other states but, for now (until something changes) Washington really stinks. Especially frustrating is seeing officers who are clearly above the law flaunting it while holding all the cards - men and women of exceedingly low character, no more than hookers turning tricks for the state on the side of the road, with their badges and guns. Lowlife scum.