When you have the excess man power, facilities, and equipment to do the following. Your budget is too big. In a city that hosts its fair share of murders and terror plots, Washington, D.C., police are cracking down on another threat to the nation's capital -- expired vehicle registrations. To the frustration of forgetful drivers, Metropolitan Police Department officers are throwing people in jail for letting their tag renewals lapse. The practice provoked somewhat of a backlash last year after a local mother from Maryland was jailed for what in many places would be a routine traffic offense punishable by fine. But the department continues to reserve and exercise the right to throw drivers in the clink for missing the DMV deadline, no matter where they're from. Sending people to jail for expired tags is necessary because of what reason? A fine is reasonable, but what benefit does jail time serve? It is often touted how over taxed the jail and prison systems are. Well it's no freaking wonder if they're tossing anyone and everyone under the sun into jail. Here's a new set of rules: If you have the excess man power for something like this If you have the excess jail space for something like this If you can continue to perform all your other functions as well If you match those conditions, your budget should be shrunk. By how much, enough that the first two are completely unsatisfied, and your officers are doing free overtime to keep up on bullet 3. Continue reading →