Texas Rangers have arrested a former city manager on charges he abused his position by imposing a quota for the number of traffic tickets city police had to issue.

64-year-old Alan Grindstaff was being held Thursday at the Falls County jail on a charge of abuse of official capacity.

He was taken into custody Wednesday on the misdemeanor charge.

Authorities say as the city manager in Marlin, southeast of Waco, Grindstaff earlier this year developed a plan to compensate, discipline or promote the police chief based on officers issuing a predetermined number of tickets within a certain period.

State law prohibits a police department from using a quota system in writing traffic citations.

The city council fired Grindstaff in March.

It's not clear if he has an attorney to speak on his behalf.