[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Port Chester 12-13-1954;
published 12-20-1954; effective 1-3-1955.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Police Justice of the Village of Port Chester, having jurisdiction
of traffic violations in the Village of Port Chester, is hereby authorized,
pursuant to Article 14-B of the General Municipal Law, to establish a Traffic
Violations Bureau to assist the court in the disposition of offenses in relation
to traffic violations.
This Bureau, to be termed "Village of Port Chester Traffic Violations
Bureau" shall be in charge of such person or persons and shall be open at
such hours, as shall be designated by the Police Justice of the Village of
Port Chester having jurisdiction of traffic violations in the Village of Port
Chester.
The Police Justice aforementioned shall designate the fines to be paid
for the first, second and third offenses which may be satisfied by the Traffic
Violations Bureau as provided in this chapter, provided these fines are within
the limits established as penalties for violations of traffic laws, rules
and regulations of the Village of Port Chester, and provided further that
the penalty for violation of the Village of Port Chester Traffic and Parking
Meter Ordinance shall be in accordance with said ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 92, Vehicle and Traffic.
The Traffic Violations Bureau so established shall have authority to
dispose of violations of traffic laws, ordinances, rules and regulations when
such offenses shall not constitute the traffic infraction known as "speeding"
or a misdemeanor or felony. Pursuant to Section 371 of Article 14-B of the
General Municipal Law, any person who shall have been within the preceding
12 months, guilty of a number of parking violations in excess of such maximum
number as may be designated by the court, or three or more violations other
than parking violations, shall not be permitted to appear and answer to a
subsequent violation at the Traffic Violations Bureau, but must appear in
court at the time specified by such Bureau.
A.
A person who has received a notice of traffic
infraction affixed to his motor vehicle shall be permitted within the time
specified in said notice to answer at the Traffic Violations Bureau to the
charges set forth therein, except as limited by Subdivision B of this section,
either in person or by power of attorney as hereinafter defined, by paying
a prescribed fine and, in writing, waiving hearing in court, pleading guilty
to the charge and giving a power of attorney to the person in charge of the
Traffic Violations Bureau to make such a plea and pay such a fine in court,
or a person may answer said notice at said Traffic Violations Bureau by depositing
a cash bail equal to double the prescribed fine for appearance in court at
a time specified by the Bureau. Acceptance of the prescribed fine and power
of attorney by the Bureau shall be deemed complete satisfaction for the infraction
and the violator shall be given a receipt which so states.
B.
Any person who is charged with speeding contrary
to the provisions of the traffic rules, ordinances and regulations of the
Village of Port Chester, or who has been guilty of three or more violations
other than parking violations, shall not be permitted to appear and answer
to a subsequent violation at the Traffic Violations Bureau, but must appear
in court at a time specified by the Bureau.
The aforementioned Traffic Violations Bureau is not 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 traffic law, ordinance, rule or regulation.
The following duties are hereby imposed on the Traffic Violations Bureau:
A.
It shall accept designated fines, issue receipts
and represent in court such violators as are permitted and desire to plead
guilty, waive court appearance and give power of attorney.
B.
It shall receive and issue receipts for cash
bail from the persons who must or wish to be beard in court, enter the time
of their appearance on the court docket and notify the arresting officer and
witnesses, if any, to be present.
C.
It shall keep all easily accessible record
of all violations of which each person has been guilty during the preceding
12 months, whether such guilt was established in court or in the Traffic Violations
Bureau.
D.
If the violator of restrictions on parking
under the traffic ordinances, rules and regulations of the Village of Port
Chester does not appear in response to a notice affixed to his motor vehicle
within a period of two days, the Traffic Violations Bureau shall send to the
owner of the motor vehicle to which the notice was affixed a letter informing
him of the violation and warning him that he will be held responsible for
the appearance of the offender and in the event that such a letter is disregarded
for a period of two days a complaint will be filed and a warrant for arrest
issued.
E.
In the event any person fails to comply with
a notice as provided in the preceding paragraph or fails to make appearance
pursuant to a summons directing an appearance in the Traffic Violations Bureau,
or if any person fails or refuses to deposit bail, the said Traffic Violations
Bureau shall forthwith have a complaint entered against such person and secure
and issue a warrant for his arrest. Such Bureau shall not accept any fine
or bail for or from such person but shall consider every such person entirely
under the jurisdiction of the court.
F.
Any person to whom a notice of traffic infraction
has been delivered and who willfully violates a written promise to appear
and answer to such a notice of traffic infraction shall be subject to arrest
upon a warrant issued pursuant to a sworn information or complaint setting
forth the specific violation for which such notice of traffic infraction was
issued.
G.
The Traffic Violations Bureau shall keep records
and submit summarized monthly reports to the Police Justice of the Village
of Port Chester in charge of traffic violations in the Village of Port Chester,
and all notices issued and arrests made for violations of the traffic ordinance
of the village and of all the fines collected by the Traffic Violations Bureau
and of the final disposition or present status of every case of violation.
Such records shall be so maintained as to show all types of violations and
the totals of each. Said records shall be public records.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any written statement written in the presence of a witness and to
which statement the witness shall affix his signature, stating that the person
executing the same and charged with a violation is thereby appearing and answering
to the charge, pleading guilty thereto, waiving a hearing in court and authorizing
the person in charge of the Traffic Violations Bureau to make such a plea
in his stead, in court.
