ARTICLE II. - ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT
Part of the Code of Ordinances of Jamestown, RI.
The text
Sec. 70-21. - Regulation of traffic by police; suspension of regulations in an emergency.#
In case of emergency, the chief of police or the person then acting in the chief's place and stead may temporarily suspend the enforcement of any section of this chapter, and may regulate the operation and parking of vehicles upon the public highways within the town during such emergency as such officer may deem advisable; provided, however, that his actions shall not be contrary to law.
(Code 1982, § 18-1; Code 2003, § 70-21)
Sec. 70-22. - Police department duty and authority to collect.#
Pursuant to the G.L. 1956, § 12-14-10, the police department is hereby designated and authorized to collect and to receive the fines provided therein for violation of the provisions of the parking and traffic ordinances of the town and the parking regulations of the state traffic commission relating to parking in the town, all of which are or shall be in effect in the town.
(Code 1982, § 18-30; Code 2003, § 70-22)
State Law reference— Authority, G.L. 1956, § 12-14-10; general authority, G.L. 1956, § 31-41-1.
Sec. 70-23. - Contents of police reports.#
It shall be the duty of the chief of police and of each of the police officers to report the following: (1)
When a vehicle has violated any of the provisions of the ordinances of the town relating to parking or traffic or of any parking regulation of the state traffic commission relating to parking in the town.
(2)
The state of registration and the license plate number of each such vehicle.
(3)
The specific date and nature or type of each such violation.
(Code 1982, § 18-31; Code 2003, § 70-23)
Sec. 70-24. - Fines for violation.#
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter or state law, any person violating any provision of the traffic or parking ordinances or the parking regulations of the town shall be punished as provided in section 1-15, unless such persons are authorized to pay and do pay voluntarily under the provisions of section 70-25.
(Code 1982, § 18-32; Code 2003, § 70-24)
State Law reference— Payment of traffic fines, G.L. 1956, § 21-14-1 et seq.; violations accruing in Jamestown, G.L. 1956, § 12-14-10.
Sec. 70-25. - Notice of violation; admission of truth and payment of fines at police station; amounts.#
The owner or operator of a vehicle who is issued a parking ticket indicating that said vehicle has been parked in violation of a provision of this Code relating to traffic shall, within the 14 days specified, pay to the police department such fines as this Code establishes for such offenses, and the police department is hereby designated for the purpose of collecting such parking fines. In the event such offender neglects or refuses to dispose of such charge within the 14-day period, he or she shall be summoned before the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal for adjudication of such violation and such offender shall be subject to the full penalties provided for violation of this Code.
The fine shall be $25.00 for parking over the posted time, $85.00 for parking within eight feet of a fire hydrant, $100.00 for parking within an area designated as handicap parking and $35.00 for all other offenses.
If an appeal or payment is not made within 30 days, the fine shall be doubled.
Five dollars of every parking fine shall be placed in a segregated account maintained by the finance department. This account shall be maintained exclusively for the purpose of establishing and maintaining municipal parking.
(Code 1982, § 18-33; Code 2003, § 70-25; Ord. of 9-11-2006(2); Ord. of 5-20-2013, § 1(Exh. A); Ord. of 5-6-2019, § 1(Exh. A); Amend. of 3-6-2023, § 1(Exh. A))
Sec. 70-26. - Supervision by chief; authority to cancel notices of violation.#
The chief of police shall supervise the police officers in the performance of their duties under this article. The chief shall have the power to cancel any notice of violation issued by any police officer through error or mistake. The chief shall account for the error or mistake to the finance director by writing an explanation of the error or mistake on the reverse side of the notice.
(Code 1982, § 18-34; Code 2003, § 70-26)
Sec. 70-27. - Acceptance of and receipting for fines by officer in charge.#
It shall also be the duty of the police officer in charge of the police station to accept such payments and to receipt for the payments.
(Code 1982, § 18-35; Code 2003, § 70-27)
Sec. 70-28. - Paying over fines by chief.#
It shall be the duty of the chief of police to take custody and control of all sums of money paid to the officers in charge of the police station in payment for such violations and to pay over such amounts to the finance director within the first week of each month, together with a complete report of such amounts for the preceding calendar month.
(Code 1982, § 18-36; Code 2003, § 70-28)
Sec. 70-29. - Forms for report and notice.#
(a)
Preparing supply. It shall be the duty of the finance director to have prepared, at the expense of the town and in accordance with the prescribed form and marked "Notice of Parking Violation," a supply of forms for such report and notice.
(b)
Monthly report; accounting for unused or damaged forms. Each police officer shall report in writing to the finance director on the last day of each month the serial number of unused forms then in such officer's possession. All forms which are damaged, mutilated, or upon which a mistake has been made shall be accounted for by returning them to the finance director.
(Code 1982, §§ 18-37, 18-39; Code 2003, § 70-29)
Sec. 70-30. - Payment by mail; penalty for dishonored check.#
Notwithstanding the provisions of this article, the fines for such violations may be paid with cash, check or money order, by mailing the payments addressed to the chief of police at the police station within 30 calendar days of the offense. If the fine is paid by check and the check is written against insufficient funds, an additional penalty of $10.00 is hereby imposed.
(Code 1982, § 18-40; Code 2003, § 70-30)
State Law reference— Adjudication of traffic offenses, G.L. 1956, § 31-41.1-1 et seq.