EASTVILLE, Va. – It's no secret that when you are driving through the Eastern Shore of Virginia, you want to obey the speed limit.
Thousands of people get pulled over for speeding, especially in the very small town of Eastville.
Former Eastville Police Chief Linwood Christian is speaking out about his experience of writing thousands of tickets.
Christian said he served as Eastville's Police Chief for six months until just before Thanksgiving, when he says he was shocked to be let go for "lack of production."
Watch previous coverage: Don't speed on the Eastern Shore, especially in Eastville
Prior to his role as chief, he worked as an officer for the town for five years. He said he worked two decades for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
"The way I was treated, I came in and busted my tail to write tickets for the town and they just up and terminate me for lack of production. It's just not right," Christian told WTKR News 3.
He said Eastville has a one-mile jurisdiction on Route 13.
Christian says he would typically write between 400-500 speeding tickets per month during the busy summer season while he was an officer, with a personal single-day record of between 48 and 50 tickets.
He said that number dropped significantly when he became chief due to other obligations and tasks. He also explained how weather and the time of year would impact the number of tickets being written.
"It was kind of a bragging right, who could write the most tickets among the officers here," he recalled.
Christian said the town's focus was clearly on generating revenue through aggressive traffic enforcement.
"It's always about money, tickets, tickets, tickets," he said. "This is a highly traveled [route] from people coming from up north to the Outer Banks. It's a cash cow."
Christian provided WKTR News 3 with a copy of a letter he received a month before he was fired that was signed by the mayor and other city council members. It stated there were a number of deficiencies that needed to be corrected immediately.
It stated that he needed to make sure patrol hours were covered from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., even if supervisors were needed to cover due to staffing shortages.
The letter stated there needed to be a "recommitment to traffic enforcement by the ENTIRE department."
Council was concerned that there was an issue with morale and wanted him to correct it, according to the letter.
Additionally, it stated that another officer had planned to retire, but council expected Christian to address the officer's concerns so the officer would withdraw plans for retirement and continue working.
It stated, "Council wishes to remind you that you are within your six month probation period. Reduction of pay or dismissal are two options on the table if their concerns are not addressed immediately."
Christian said he had returned to work with 15 stitches on his face from having cancer removed when he was given his termination letter. He was devastated.
He said there is a major speeding problem on Route 13.
Back in 2023, the WTKR News 3 investigative Team started looking at the number of tickets being written after Margaret Kavanagh got pulled over in the town of Exmore. The Exmore Police Chief Angelo DiMartino took WTKR on a ride along to show us how bad the speeding problem is on the busy highway.
Christian said during the traffic stops, many drivers told him they thought the speed limit was 65, not the posted 55 miles per hour, but he said few people were cut a break when it came to tickets.
“I did feel bad a lot, but it’s constant pressure for writing tickets. You really didn’t let anybody go unless it was another police officer,” said Christian.
Through a Freedom of Information Act request in March, WTKR News 3 asked the town of Eastville for Christian’s roles and reason for termination. However, they refused to provide that information, saying it’s exempt from public disclosure due to being personnel records.
Eastville did issue the following statement:
"The Town of Eastville is committed to policing in a professional manner with the goal of maintaining a safe environment for its residents, visitors, and those passing through. US Route 13 is a heavily traveled major North-South corridor connecting major cities in the Northeast with the East Coast of the United States and serving as an alternate route to other major highways. Despite clearly marked speed limits and traffic laws, drivers of personal and commercial vehicles alike often travel at speeds far in excess of posted speed limits. Traffic enforcement is necessary for the continued safety of all who travel through Eastville and the surrounding areas. No ticket is written for someone who is not in clear violation of the law."
Records obtained by WTKR News 3 show the town of Eastville, which has a population of around 300 people, issued over 16,000 tickets in 2023 and more than 14,000 in 2024.
According to the adopted budget for 2023/2024, the total income brought into the town was $1.6 million, with law enforcement fines making up $1.4 million of that.
There are currently five full-time employees within the police force listed on the town’s website.
Christian says there is very low crime in the town and few calls for service, but says the department has really nice equipment.
“We have the best equipment. Our patrol rifles have suppressors on it. Our duty weapons are Sigs with Romeo sights. We have every gadget known to man,” said Christian.
He said he sometimes felt bad about writing tickets, especially for struggling families.
"You can tell when a young couple is struggling… They got a baby, you can tell they don't have a lot of money. Now, you're writing them a ticket, their insurance is going up—Of course, they've got to pay the ticket," he said.
Christian is now working a part-time job and has hired a lawyer to fight the town regarding his termination.
He said he hopes speaking out will shed light on what he believes is unfair and unethical.
"I just want everybody to know that this is what's happening," he said.
