Mayor Larry Alexander said the town’s speeding ticket program has not been shelved. (We, the paper, contacted Alexander about the program after hearing that it was shelved.)
On Tuesday morning (September 5), Sheriff Doug Hebert said “zero” people asked him in the past about his position on the program. He also said it was his understanding that the program in Oberlin was going to be shelved.
There was a meeting Friday to discuss the traffic program between Alexander, Hebert and the district attorney from what the paper has learned. However, no one is discussing what issues were addressed in the meeting. The only statement made was the meeting was held “to clarify what needed to be addressed.”
Oberlin began a traffic control on its highway with a certified officer (from Church Point, who is not a member of the Oberlin Police Department) working a stationary radar camera in an area marked at least 250 to 500 feet. The sign warns drivers a traffic radar is in use. Speeders are captured on film and the violator receives a ticket in the mail.
The town council has spent months working on ordinances and purchasing equipment to put the program into place. In last week’s paper, Alexander reviewed the program after complaints were made to the paper on residents receiving speeding tickets. At that time, Alexander said he had met DOTD requirements and spoken with State Police, the sheriff and the district attorney.
Sheriff Hebert said he didn’t speak to Alexander. “I absolutely had no input.”
When asked on Tuesday, Alexander said the program is not shelved. The town has an ordinance in place to collect fines that are not paid. He said Facebook is Facebook™ (in regards to persons saying the tickets were not valid). Alexander said the town is processing everything in its cube in regards to this program.
“We are addressing those concerns,” Alexander said in reference to the meeting. He said the sheriff had concerns.
Alexander said all tickets will be enforced. (Editor’s Note: If you received a ticket, you need to address that ticket through a legal avenue. Some people are suggesting to throw it away, but you should speak to the court system.)
Alexander said the officer writing tickets is on vacation this week, but the program has not been canceled.
Oberlin Police Chief Grady Haynes believes this matter falls under public safety, which he has been elected to do in Oberlin. In the past, he said he has pointed this out when the council has asked him to do certain things in regards to traffic safety and issuing citations.
Haynes said he was not at the meeting, but he was told what was said in the meeting. Haynes believes this program is not fit for a small town. He said other areas around the state are in litigation over similar issues in regards to citations and the process.
“We can’t afford a lawsuit,” Haynes said.
Alexander said the paper’s information was not accurate (in regards to the program being shelved), and said he had no other comments about the program.
At press time, District Attorney Joe Green was not available. Haynes did offer a news release. (It is printed here.)
Police Chief
Haynes’ statement:
“The Town of Oberlin is suffering with some financial woes brought on by the gross mismanagement of grant funding for projects such as the town’s water and infrastructure projects. Unfortunately this burden has fallen upon the new administration leaving them with the task of finding funds to help solve the problems left from the previous administration.
“The mayor and city council passed an ordinance to bring in an outside company and officer to increase ticket revenue. It was stated this revenue would help to pay the town’s portions of grants to obtain funding. The mayor was advised through the district attorney’s office this process was illegally set up and should be dismantled. That type of enforcement involving public safety has to come from the police department’s chief and maintained by an officer of the Oberlin Police Department.
“There must also be permits obtained from DOTD for this process. I have, all along, stated that this particular method of enforcement is not adequate for a town the size of Oberlin. It targets, mostly the citizens, in your community, and other employees that work in the town; also people coming in for business as we are the county seat of Allen Parish.
“Police departments are not an institution to be used by a city or town as a dependent source of revenue for funding the town. This has been reiterated by every CPA at every annual budget meeting. We have a L.A.C.E. program that generates well over $200,000 dollars per year.
“There are mounting lawsuits throughout Louisiana involving this method of video ticket enforcement. Larger cities may be able to take a hit of that nature. With the amount of debt left on this administration, we could not survive that type of litigation. I will not take that chance of allowing that to happen to our town or put the Oberlin Police Department in that position.
“Police departments have rules and guidelines governed by the state that they must follow by the letter of the law. There are rules such as setting quotas for officers to write tickets – writing tickets just a few miles over the posted speed limit. Other towns have found themselves in similar circumstances and were notified by the state. We can not ignore community policing and citizens’ concerns to only focus on tickets for revenue,” Haynes said.
(Editor’s Note: When asked how an officer becomes certified, Haynes said they take an oath before the clerk of court to work in the town. Questions not answered includes, “Is this officer certified to work in Oberlin?”)
