Summonses are not issued at every MVA, Police Chief Rob Lawson tells TLS. Although issuing summonses at Motor Vehicle Accidents has been reinforced over the last several months, contrary to popular belief, it is not set in stone. “The incidents requiring Officers to issue summonses, are in accidents with significant damage, accidents resulting in bodily injury or when one driver is clearly at fault”, says Chief Lawson. “All other times, it is at the Officer’s discretion to issue a summons”.
Chief Lawson tells TLS, that Officers are not required to issue summonses in Title 39 offenses, which include Motor Vehicle violations, incidents involving juveniles, disorderly conduct, and Municipal violations.
Which means, if you’re involved in an MVA, or you’re pulled over for a Motor Vehicle violation, the Officer can decide whether or not to issue you a summons.
However, in ‘Indictable Offenses’ or more commonly known as ‘Crimes’, Officers are required to sign a complaint against the party.
The crackdown came over the last few months, after high ranking officials in the Police Department complained to the Chief that Officers were not issuing enough summonses at serious Motor Vehicle Accidents.
“I told them to make sure the Officers are doing their jobs”. “That’s what they’re there for”, Chief Lawson said. TLS.
Our town is getting destroyed by gangs. grafitti is all over the place. People are getting held up with guns, homes and cars are being broken into. We can’t shop on clifton for all the loitering,,,and this is what he is concerned about????
I agree with # 1
I think it is the most ludicrous thing to issue summonses at an MVA. Anyone involved is devastated enough as it is,you gotta hit them more?? Worse yet,it’s left to the officers discretion. That given an opportunity for the (moderated) to make themselves known. They are few but they can wreak havoc and they love it!!
And whats up with one party who requests at an MVA to issue a summons to the second party the police has to give one???
The person at fault should be issued a summons. Why should a victim have to worry about his insurance going up. If you Want to cut crime then stop renting your homes to drug dealers.
The chief is doing his job. In this piece he only discusses MVA’s. But the truth is more has to b done about the crime. HH mentioned during his campaig that LPD only has 6 officers on duty @ night ! 6 ! 6 ???!!!??? If that’s true, that’s terrible. Maybe they can put (moderated) on duty only @ night only in MLK area & /or Ridge area. The thugs won’t mess w/ him !!
And how will the summons help as far as insurance is concerned??? All you need is a police report not a summons!
An accident is a real bummer especially when you are minding your own business and get hit by another vehicle. If an officer finds clear fault and the damage is significant then by all means a summons should be issued. Think about it: you are minding your own business, and get hit. Now your car is damaged, you are missing work, have to get an estimate, heaven forbid you get hurt, you need a rental, insurance companies take time. Now why should that person who caused you all that inconvenience get off free? If an officer doesn’t issue a ticket you have the right to do so within 30 days.
#7, I guess you are above making mistakes.
I was issued a summons for rear ending another vehicle. WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE OTHER VEHICLE. the officer tracked me down and delivered the summons to my house. he told me you must report ANY accident, and I was lucky to not to get the 8 point ticket for leaving the scene of the accident. (only later did I find out that you only have to report damage in excess of 500 dollars, which this wasn’t)
You still can not leave the scene of an accident it is against the law!!!! And if you rear end someone it is clearly your fault you were either following to close behind the other car to have enough time to react to them hitting the brakes or you were not paying attention and rear ended them reguardless it was YOUR fault and you deserve the ticket!!!
wow. if you rear end someone. and there is virtually no damage. NONE to his car., and a few scratches to my car, I deserve a ticket? what if this happened in a parking lot or my own driveway. ???
According to the law if it is under 500 damage you do not have to report. that’s a fact.
It definitely is under the officer’s discretion when to write a ticket.
I say kudos to the level headed officer who came to the scene of the accident which I caused. He told me that he was not issuing me a summons (it was my fault) b/c he understood how it happened (my view was obscured). He did tell me that when his supervisor reviews the report he has the discretion to issue a summons. B”h I never received one!
#6 NJ is a no fault state so if your not at fault and the other s
Drive who causes an accident does not receive a summons then you both share fault. No summons then no fault or blame to a drive who caused an accident.
#10 you are absolutely correct!!
Who makes the judgement if there is or is not $500 in damage?
thats up to the officer that resonds to the accident
Of course it is up to the officer! I am not denying that. What I am saying is the officer made the wrong decision.
He has the “right ” to do it. that doesn’t make it “correct”. I have the right to picket the police station. I don’t necessarily do everything I have the “right” to do.
Chuzpah how did the cop find out who called them?
Chuzpah do you think the officer just appeared to track you down out of the blue? Or did the person that owned the car you hit report it? If you hit my car and left I’d be pretty upset- who are you to decide if you caused damage?
If discretion isnt up to the officer, who do we leave it up to?? the fine outstanding and overly level headed citizens that populate lakewood…yea right. Its funny, the only ones usually complaining about receiving tickets are the knuckleheads who cause the collision(its not called “accident” in New Jersey anymore, its either a collision or a crash because an “accident” means no one is at fault….and someone’s always at fault because who knowingly collides with another vehicle or fixed object, unless you’re out of your mind). police officers are well trained even if some residents dont think so and they rely not only on that training but their experience in the field to make not only these minor decisions, but life saving decisions, in seconds. Ive seen people take longer to order food at J-II.
We should all feel blessed for “officer’s discretion”…if it was written in stone how or what an officer could do I garuntee we would all be wishing the officer could make up his own mind….Id hate to live in that world…..Bunch of complainers you are
Be patient and courteous and u will not cause an accident
replying to
“chuzpah says:
August 1, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Of course it is up to the officer! I am not denying that. What I am saying is the officer made the wrong decision.
He has the “right ” to do it. that doesn’t make it “correct”. I have the right to picket the police station. I don’t necessarily do everything I have the “right” to do.”
So your decission is right and the officers is wrong ~ GET A LIFE
If i drive thur a red light and cause an accident dont i deserve a ticket
Just for reference, Motor Vehicle Summonses are also a form of revenue generation for the state and the PD. With little to no money being donated to the police department and a township with a constantly shrinking tax revenue, it is not out of the question that the township need another form of revenue gathering. If you violate the law, be prepared to offer a donation in the form of a summons. If you are given a warning instead of receiving a summons, consider it a gift, but don’t take it for granted. In many other towns in the ocean county area, motor vehicle violations are strictly enforced. I feel that the lakewood police department is very generous with the warnings given.
The Township only gets 10% of the money generated by MV summons
Are you an insurance adjuster or a bodyshop? Do you know what $500 worth of damage looks like? Repair shops charge outrageous prices and what looks like a few nicks or scratches to you might actually be $500 worth of damage cuz I can tell you from working at an autoshop that a bumper that needs to be sanded down primed paint matched and sprayed will cost $500 or more depending on the insurance company. Thats where the police come in and decide weather or not to issue a summons and the fact of not having to report an accident unless its more than $500 that means you dont have to report it to your INSURANCE company you always report an accident to the police. You can say theres no damage get in your car and drive off after giving the person your information then the next day something else happens to your car hes on the phone calling the police or insurance company with your info issuing you a ticket for leaving the scene if you had called the police in the first place then there would be proof you did not cause that damage. And if a cop doesnt issue a summons the person you were in an accident with has 30 days to issue you one themselves.