Lawmakers Take Action on Bogus Tickets

WYNNE, Ark. - As FOX13 has been reporting, the Crittenden County Sheriff's Office is investigating some police departments in Arkansas, to find out if their officers are writing bogus tickets as a way to fund the small towns.
Now Arkansas lawmakers are taking action too.

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Some residents say they've been issued tickets for parking on a gravel road, surpassing the recommended speed limit on a curve and dim taillights.

People in towns like Turrell, Jericho and Jennette, Arkansas have been complaining for months about police issuing bogus traffic tickets, sometimes outside their jurisdiction.

Last week, a police officer shot a man inside a Jericho courthouse after a judge dismissed a month's worth of traffic tickets.

Democratic Senator Jim Luker of Wynne Arkansas says, "Some of these places have a pretty sorry record of mismanaging the public's business."

Luker recently sponsored and passed legislation that would shut down the city court if it could not properly keep track of money or tickets.

Instead people could take tickets to the nearest district court where there is an elected judge. The law went into effect July 31st.

Luker says, "Without access to court they can't abuse the public by continuing to write tickets and collect money."

The most recent legislative audit for the town of Jericho, shows in 2006, auditors were not able to get copies of 5 of 15 randomly selected traffic tickets or determine if the tickets were processed through the court system.

They found the police chief did not file completed ticket books with the court clerk as required.

The law is not retroactive and only applies to findings after July 31st of this year.
But a spokesperson with the division of legislative audit told FOX13 the 2007-2008 audit on Jericho is being done right now.

It's expected to be released this fall.

Luker says, "I would hope they would pass with flying colors because they're doing their job correctly but if not I'm going to expect somebody to take action to address it."

The audits also show some of the towns never approved a budget, gave unapproved bonuses to elected officials and even used taxpayers funds to pay credit cards for elected officials.

Another bill that went into effect July 31st, allows residents to remove elected officials from office. It's the first time a recall provision has been enacted in Arkansas.

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