The number of tickets issued by state officers in and around Phoenix dropped by 44 percent from May 2003 to May 2004, The Arizona Republic reported June 24.

The drop represents more than 5,000 fewer tickets written in a one-month period.

The newspaper reported that the drop might be due to a shortage of officers in the state’s Department of Public Safety.

Lt. Col. Bill Reutter of the Highway Patrol told the newspaper that staffing shortages, a rise in traffic accidents and other factors contributed to the decline in tickets.

The department includes the Arizona Highway Patrol and the state’s Criminal Investigations Division, Agency Support division and Criminal Justice Support Division.