INFORMATION #2 08-09-2004Police Depadment
iNFORMATION
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor and City Council
Jeff Beahen, Chief of Police
I think you will be pleased to see that it has increased significantly and it looks promising
that future revenues will increase even more. If you have any further questions, please
contact me.
This memo is to provide you an update regarding traffic fines. In the past, you have voiced
concerns over the low traffic fine returns. I have attached a current evaluation of the fine
collection program from Pat Kuka, Sherbume County Court Administrator.
JAB/~a
August 5, 2004
TRAFFIC FINES
Chief of Police Jeffrey Beahen
Elk River Police Department
Sherburne C~~~
COURT ADMINISTRATOR
PATRICIA A. KUKA
FOR YOUR
INFORMATION
TO: Judge Robert Varco
FROM: Pat Kuka
SUBJECT: Evaluation of Fine Collection Program
DATE: July 26, 2004
The current TCIS financial system does not have the capability to measure the
percentage of fines and fees collected for our court. Other .counties that have long established
fine collection programs such as Anoka, Dakota, Washington and Stearns counties do not track
this data because of TCIS limitations. MNCIS, which is the court system's newly designed
computer system, has the capability to track the percentage of fine and fee collection.
Sherburne County court is not scheduled to install MNCIS until mid-2005.
The following information was gathered from various reports and is presented as a
review of our screenedcollector position and fine management program to date. In the first
attachment entitled "monthly revenue collected," the graph depicts monthly revenue collections
six months prior to adding the screener/collector position (position started in December 2002)
through June of 2004. Monies collected in June 2002 equaled $130,093.68 compared to
revenue collected in June 2004 of $186,777.01, a difference of $56,683.33. It is important to
note that the court has steadily increased collections at a time when revenue producing traffic
case filings are in decline. The second attachment shows yearly traffic filings from 1997 to
2004. In particular, it reveals a decline in traffic filings from 2002 to the present. In comparison,
13880 Highway 10
Elk River, Minnesota 55330-4608
(763) 241-2800 1-800-433-5232
Fax (763) 241-2816 An Equal Opportunity Employer
the graph of monthly revenue collected from June 2002 to now shows a steady increase in
monies collected.
The court's ability to improve collections and increase revenues in spite of declining
traffic case filings can be explained by the many new collection tools implemented by staff. First
of all, the court implemented credit/debit card payments for fines and fees in December 2002.
The third graph shows the monthly amount of debit/credit card revenue collected since
inception. Secondly, in April 2003 the court started the revenue re-capture program through the
State Department of Revenue. We began this process after the 2003 tax season so total
colleciions for that year were only $3362.92. The total to date for 2004 is $15,189.48.. Aisc in
2003, the court developed an amnesty program on warrants for outstanding fines and DL
suspensions. The court mailed letters to all defendants that qualified for the program. Our data
shows an increase in revenue in August, September and October 2003, which is directly linked
to the amnesty program.
In February 2004, Sherburne County Court system became the first in the 10th Judicial
District to offer wage withholding as an option for people to pay fines and fees. Finally, our
court asked to work with the Minnesota Collection Enterprise (MCE). The MCE is a division of
the Department of Revenue and is the State's own collection agency. The MCE functions much
like a private collection agency and would be used to pursue debt in cases where the courts
own collection methods proved unsuccessful. At this time, MCE is not adding any new counties
to its system because of the workload associated with Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
Sherburne County is on the list of counties that in the future will be added to the MCE customer
database when the agency is able to handle more clients.
$200,000.00
MONTHLY REVENUE COLLECTED: J,,,,¢ ~o,~-.I,,,~ ~oo,~
$180,000.00
$160,000.00
c
0
$140,000.00
$120,000.00
$100,000.00
$80,000.00
$60,000.00
Series1 ]
$40,000.00
$20,000.00
Month - Year
Attachment 1
T1L~-'FIC FILING TOTALS BY YEAR: 1997oProiec,ed2004
14000
12000
10000
8O0O
6OO0
4000
~eriesl ]
2OOO
,0
97
98
99 O0 01 02
03
Projected 04
Totals based
on 1st Qtr.
Year
Attachment 2
CPdgDIT CARD REVENUE:
$20,000.00
$18,000.00
$16,000.00
$14,000.00
o
b
o
$12,000.00
$10,000.00
$8,000.00'
$6,000.00
$4,000.00
$2,000.00
Month - Year
Attachment 3
REVENUE RECAPTURE COLLECTION DOLLAP'S:
$5,000.00
$4,500.00
$4,000.00
$3,500.00
e- $3,000.00
o
,,~ $2,500.00
I,.,,
O $2,000.00
$1,500.00
$1,000.00
$500.00
Month - Year
Attachment 4