WFAA-TV

MIDLOTHIAN - While it's against Texas law, News 8 discovered one North Texas police department had a ticket quota plan, and in writing.

The quota, 20 citations a month, was written as the last listed expectation among others written for Midlothian patrol officers by their sergeant.

"He put it in writing to make sure everyone he knew got a hold of it," said a source who wished to remain unnamed, but once worked with the department.

Quotas, according to the Texas transportation code, are illegal.

"When we get something saying we've got to do ticket quotas, we have to follow our orders," the source said. "But, we know it's against the law."

The source said he was told the reason behind the quota was a need for more revenue.

"The police chief in particular had sold the idea to the city that they needed a bigger police department," he said.

That same chief has since stepped down, but the sergeant who issued the quota is still there.

"We don't endorse any sort of quota system here," said Midlothian's new police chief in a written statement. "[The patrol sergeant] was obviously inexperienced and only meant to lay out goals he thought would be reasonable for officers to achieve."

The packet has since been removed from circulation.

Still, the former department employee said the expectations remained.

"We're sworn to uphold the law," he said. "Part of the law states there won't be any ticket quotas."