By John Estridge
Brookville Police Chief Terry Mitchum cleared up some misunderstanding and confusion surrounding a set of police-activity-related fees he suggested at the Brookville Town Council February 9 meeting.
At the February 9 meeting, Brookville Town Council President Curtis Ward read the proposed charges and changes Mitchum sent to that meeting in written form. It generated a lot of questions both from council members and media who were present. Mitchum came to the February 23 meeting and discussed the fees.
One of the main ones that was previously misunderstood regarded accident reports. It seemed at the Feb. 9 meeting Mitchum wanted to increase that fee by $5. It already costs $12 to receive the report via mycrash.com.
What Mitchum is suggesting is if people who have accidents in Brookville want to forego the $12 charge when they use the internet site, they could come to the police department, request a report and for $5 receive the report, saving the person $7. He said if that person wants to print it out in their home off the website and pay the $12 that is totally up to the individual.
He then went on to the false alarm fee. According to Mitchum, any address is allowed two false alarms not related to weather, but with the third false alarm and any subsequent false alarms not related to weather, a $25 fee will be assessed. He said some places allow three before charging the fee, and others have the fee at $50. Mitchum said it is really not about making money but about making sure the property owner keeps the alarm system upgraded.
The next proposed fee was not discussed at the earlier meeting. He proposed a $15 processing fee for towed vehicles. Mitchum emphasized this would be assessed for criminal-related offenses and not accidents. Thus, the person having their vehicle towed, would have to come to the police station and pay the processing fee, taking that receipt to the towing facility and paying whatever cost there and retrieving their vehicle.
Currently, the police will assist people if they are locked out of their vehicles, and there is no charge to the person. Mitchum said in non-emergency situations, he wants to do away with assisting with lockouts altogether. That is because of the liability involved. He said it is a matter of time until the town is sued for damage to a vehicle incurred during the procedure to unlock the vehicle. However, in emergency situations, the officers will still unlock the vehicle free of charge.
The final fee regards vehicle identity number (VIN) checks on vehicles. Currently, they are also done free of charge. Mitchum said he would like to have a $5 fee. BTC member Brooke Leffingwell suggested a higher fee for non-Brookville residents. However, Mitchum said that will become too confusing. People often drive into town to have a VIN check. Also, the town police assist the sheriff’s department with VIN checks if the county deputies are too busy and that favor is done in reverse if the town police officers are too busy.
He said keeping it at $5 for everyone will be easier to administer.
Council members voted unanimously to have Brookville’s attorney Tammy Davis to draw up the ordinance for the new fees.
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