Dormont Solicitor: Certain Tickets Must Be Written As State Violations

Dormont’s acting police chief, its solicitor and apparently a county court official agree that police must issue state tickets for certain state parking violations, but Mayor Tom Lloyd isn’t sure.

Police, apparently for years, have been writing tickets for some parking violations as violations of local ordinances, instead of as state violations, according to the acting police chief and borough solicitor.

The state ticket costs because of various fees that help fund things such as emergency medical services and district courts.

Some residents have complained that the borough should have notified people.

“If you’re going to change the ticketing, let us know,” George Jaber, whose son was ticketed for parking on the sidewalk, said at Monday's council agenda meeting.

“He was on the sidewalk. He deserved the $15 ticket,” Jaber said.
But because it was a state violation, it cost $100.50, which he called “untenable and exorbitant.”

The ticket is being appealed, he said.

Later in the meeting, to chuckles from the audience, Jaber said to Lloyd, “You fixed many of my sidewalk tickets before.”

Lloyd agreed residents should have been made aware of the change.

Solicitor Deron Gabriel disputed there was a change.

“There’s really been no change; We find it necessary to follow state law,” he said.

After the meeting, Lloyd said he planned to discuss Gabriel’s opinion with District Judge Blaise Larotonda, who hears such ticket appeals.

Lloyd has said police have a choice whether to issue a borough or state ticket for the violations in question. He said residents shouldn’t be gouged for parking violations.

Dwyer said officers are busy with routine police work, but have a discretionary power to write parking tickets.

“I’m not sending the police out to attack the residents of Dormont,” he said, explaining tickets are mainly issued because of complaints.

Dwyer also questioned complaints about enforcement of the law.

More than 11,000 tickets were issued in 2010, he said, and in going through those that were dismissed, he saw the same licenses “over and over again.”

“Once you get a ticket, why would you keep doing it if it’s illegal?” he asked.

Council had met in executive session before the meeting to discuss the ticketing issue.

Resident Bob Hutchison questioned why an executive session needed to be held.

“I think we’re stretching the sunshine laws on a lot of these executive sessions” said Hutchison, who is running for council on the Republican ticket.

Gabriel said there were questions of potential litigation over which ticket is issued.

Council President Kim Lusardi said the meeting also dealt with a personnel issue involving Lloyd and Dwyer concerning the tickets.