(Columbia-AP) July 20, 2003 - A former state trooper has filed a lawsuit against the Highway Patrol claiming it had a quota system, and troopers who wrote a certain amount of tickets were rewarded.

Former trooper Edward McAbee, says his opposition to the "ticket quota system" led to him being forced out of the patrol. McAbee is seeking $1 million in damages.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Sid Gaulden says the Highway Patrol does not have a quota system. The patrol is a division of the Department of Public Safety.

The lawsuit says he was fired from the patrol in March 2002 on an allegation that turned out baseless, then won his job back through a grievance process. He later resigned from the patrol.

The suit says troopers were expected to issue a certain minimum number of tickets, but it didn't specify what that minimum was.

McAbee is now an officer with the Clemson University Police Department.

Posted 5:50pm by Eva Pilgrim