[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City
of Schenectady 12-7-1981 by Ord.
No. 81-123. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Pursuant to § 370 of the General Municipal
Law, the Council of the City authorizes the Judge of the Police Court
of the City to establish a Traffic Violations Bureau, staffed by members
of the Police Department, to assist the Court in the disposition of
offenses in relation to parking violations. Such Bureau shall be in
charge of such person or persons and shall be open at such hours as
the Court may designate.
The Traffic Violations Bureau so established
shall be authorized to dispose of parking violations by permitting
a person charged with a parking violation to answer within a specified
time at the Traffic Violations Bureau, either in person or by written
power of attorney, in such form as prescribed by the Court, by paying
a prescribed fine and, in writing, waiving a hearing in Court, pleading
guilty to the charge and authorizing the person in charge of the Bureau
to make such a plea and pay such a fine in Court. Acceptance of the
prescribed fine and power of attorney by the Bureau shall be deemed
complete satisfaction for the violation, and the violator shall be
given a receipt which so states. If a person charged with a parking
violation does not answer as hereinbefore prescribed, within a designated
time, the Bureau shall cause a complaint to be entered against him
forthwith and a warrant to be issued for his arrest and appearance
before the Court. Such Traffic Violations Bureau shall not be authorized
to deprive a person of his right to counsel or to prevent him from
exercising his right to appear in Court to answer to, explain or defend
any charge of a violation of any parking ordinance, rule or regulation.
[Amended 10-12-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-9]
The Court shall designate the fines to be paid
for offenses, which will be satisfied at the Bureau as hereinbefore
stated, provided that such fines are within the limits established
as penalties for such offenses by City Council. There will be a $10
surcharge on traffic violations in accordance with Chapter 56 of the
Laws of 2004, Section G.
A Traffic Violations Bureau as herein authorized
shall keep a record of all parking violations of which each person
has been guilty, whether such guilt was established in Court or in
the Bureau, and also a record of all fines collected and the disposition
thereof. It shall also perform such other or additional duties and
keep such other or additional records as shall be prescribed by the
Court and/or the local legislative body.
