Crystal Lake gives up on some parking tickets

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
March 2, 2010

How does a police department end up in such a pickle over parking tickets?

This morning's Northwest Herald reports that the Crystal Lake (Ill.) P.D. is sitting on some 6,800 overdue tickets. Well, wait; that's not right. They have sent 6,831 overdue tickets to a collection agency. How many overdue tickets are there, really?

According to the paper, 212 vehicles have ten or more outstanding tickets, and 497 have five or more tickets outstanding. And vehicles with five or more unpaid tickets could be booted (you know, the infamous "Denver" boot).
So that's 709 vehicles that could have been booted. Why not?
Booting a bunch of cars and publicizing it (betcha the Northwest Herald and the Daily Herald would help with that) would very likely clear up the problem pretty quickly.
Now, Crystal Lake will discount the overdue amount and call it an "amnesty". If violators pay up by April 30, they can get a 50% reduction in the total amount due on each ticket.
Can you imagine the animosity generated from those who have paid the full amount due on a parking ticket, such as $20 for the ticket and a $30 late fee? While crime doesn't pay, apparently it does pay to wait to pay your parking ticket in Crystal Lake.