Village of Pittsford, NY Traffic Violations Bureau

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.

§ 50-2 Authorization to establish.

The Town Justice of the Town of Pittsford, having jurisdiction over traffic violations in the village, is hereby authorized, pursuant to Article 14-B of the General Municipal Law of the state, to establish a Traffic Violations Bureau to assist the court in the disposition of offenses in relation to traffic violations.

§ 50-3 Person in charge; hours of operation.

The Traffic Violations Bureau, to be termed "Village of Pittsford Traffic Violations Bureau," shall be in charge of such person and shall be open at such hours as shall be designated by the Town Justice of the Town of Pittsford, having jurisdiction over traffic violations in the village.

§ 50-4 Designation of fines.

The Town Justice mentioned in § 50-3 shall designate the fines to be paid for the first, second and third offenses, which may be satisfied at the Traffic Violations Bureau as provided in this chapter, provided that these fines are within the limits now or hereafter established as penalties for violations of traffic laws, rules and regulations of the village.

§ 50-5 Jurisdiction.

The Traffic Violations Bureau 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.

§ 50-6 Procedure.

Pursuant to § 371 of Article 14-B of the General Municipal Law of the state, 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 person who has received a notice of traffic infraction affixed to his motor vehicle shall be permitted within the time specified in such notice to answer at the Traffic Violations Bureau to the charges set forth therein, except as limited by Subsection C, either in person or by power of attorney, 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 such notice at the 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.

Any person who is charged with speeding in violation of the provisions of the traffic rules, ordinances and regulations of the village, 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.

§ 50-7 Rights of people not affected.

The Traffic Violations Bureau is not authorized to deprive a person of his right to counsel nor prevent him from exercising his right to appear in court in answer to, to explain or to defend any charge of a violation of any traffic law, ordinance, rule or regulation.

§ 50-8 Powers and duties.

The following duties are hereby imposed on the Traffic Violations Bureau:

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.

It shall receive and issue receipts for cash bail from the persons who must or wish to be heard in court, enter the time of their appearance on the court docket and notify the arresting officer and witnesses, if any, to be present.

It shall keep an easily accessible record of all violations of which each person has been guilty during the preceding 12 months, whether such guilt has been established in court or in the Traffic Violations Bureau.

If the violator of restrictions on parking under the traffic ordinances, rules and regulations of the village 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.

In the event that any person fails to comply with a notice as provided in Subsection D 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 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.

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 notice of traffic infraction shall be subject to arrest upon a warrant issued pursuant to a sworn information or complaint setting forth the specific violations for which such notice of traffic was issued.

The Traffic Violations Bureau shall keep records and submit summarized monthly reports to the Town Justice of the Town of Pittsford in charge of traffic violations in the village, and all notices issued and arrests made for violations of the traffic ordinances 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 record shall be so maintained as to show all types of violations and the totals of each. Such records shall be public records.