According to reports, the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) issued a speeding ticket to Lenox in July after a state investigation revealed that the city had illegally changed sources to hide revenue. It is reported that the publishing function of .

Georgia DPS Commissioner Col. William Hitchens said Lennox was suspended for 180 days because the city “consistently” changed tickets in a way that “had the effect of eliminating fines and forfeitures for speeding citations.” The article states that the permit for the speed detection device has been revoked. letter obtained by atlanta news first.

“Georgia City ‘consistently falsifies’ speeding tickets: State investigation.”https://t.co/R2JlZbF0oV

— Dennis (@Morgan4xx) October 6, 2024

According to state investigators and the paper, the city changed speeding tickets issued by police officers to “dangerous driving,” a sign that the police department uses speeding tickets to earn more than 35% of its revenue. It was a trick aimed at circumventing state law prohibiting the use of fines.

The Lenox Police Department collected about 40% of its revenue from speeding enforcement in 2023, the paper said. Hitchens said the investigation found the city had engaged in illegal activity for years, but only exceeded the 35% limit in 2023.

South Georgia cities generated $36,771 in additional revenue in 2023 by failing to report surpluses from speeding fines, according to an audit conducted by Georgia DPS investigators. Recalculating the changed tickets brings the total revenue from $477,685 to $514,456. (Related: Report: Police arrest Fani Willis’ daughter)

“This is an abuse of power,” Georgia resident Charlie Johnson, who was ticketed by Lenox police earlier this year, told Atlanta News First.

“I feel so abused and taken advantage of,” Johnson added.

The investigation into Lennox’s citation practices began in January after a Florida driver complained about a doctored ticket, the newspaper said.

Despite Georgia Police Chief Shane Daughtry calling the ticket changes “just an honest mistake” during a Georgia State Police hearing, state investigators said the changes appeared to be intentional. insisted. They noted that 85 percent of the police department’s revenue comes from fines and forfeitures, the newspaper reported.

“So you can see there’s not a lot of enforcement going on outside of the interstates,” said a Georgia DPS investigator.

The Daily Caller reached out to DPS directly for comment and requested access to the letter.