CITATIONS, CITIZEN ISSUED 11.3
11.3.1 PURPOSE
A. Occasionally, police officers are contacted by private citizens who have witnessed a traffic violation and wish to prosecute the violator. This procedure will facilitate prosecution by the citizen.
11.3.2 PROCEDURE
A. As in any investigation of a statute violation, officers must ensure that probable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred and that a particular person committed the offense.
B. If a citizen complainant provides adequate information to enable successful prosecution and requests to sign a complaint, an officer will:
1. Fill out a UTC in the normal manner, using the defendant’s name and address.
2. Leave the spaces for complainant’s signature, date of signature, and court date blank.
3. Provide the complainant with the defendant’s name and the citation number and instruct them to go to the Circuit Court Office at 150 W. Powell, Gresham, to sign the complaint. At least 3 business days should be allowed for the citation to reach the court.
4. Attach a Special Report with complainant information briefly detailing the issuance of the citation.
5. Turn in the UTC and the Special Report in the usual manner so it can be forwarded to Circuit Court.
C. The Circuit Court will mail the defendant his copy of the citation and schedule the court date.
11.3.3 MAJOR TRAFFIC OFFENSES
A. Nothing in this procedure is intended to preclude officers from making probable cause arrests of suspects in cases involving a major traffic offense.
Carla C. Piluso
Chief of Police
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