On June 6, the Chatham County Police Department became the first law enforcement agency in Georgia to partner with the Lights On! program.
Under the program, officers are given an alternative to issuing citations to motorists in Chatham County. Instead of ticketing drivers for minor traffic violations like broken tail lights or signals, CCPD will instead issue vouchers for car repairs.
The vouchers are redeemable at certain auto repair businesses and cover $250 dollars in light-repair repair costs. Vouchers expire 14 days after being issued to a motorist.
Five auto repair shops in Chatham County that have partnered with Lights on! As of now those businesses are:
• AAMCO Transmissions and Total Car Care
• Auto Intensive Care
• Automotive Services of Savannah
• Mitchell’s Auto Shop
• Scorpion Motorsports
According to the program’s website, Lights On! Provides a tool for law enforcement agencies to heal and transform police-community relationships and lead to safer vehicles on roads.
The program also recognizes the financial ramifications that citations can have on lower-income individuals that rely on their cars for transportation.
“A tail light or brake light violation fine can be a major expense for many in our community. When we can give someone a voucher for a minor auto repair that gets them back in compliance – instead of a citation with a fine – that is a great example of the community policing mission that our department is built on,” said Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley in a statement.
District 8 Commissioner Kenneth Adams was also instrumental in connecting the program with CCPD.
“I thought it would be a good project for the police department. Mainly because it would have a positive impact, especially right now, with gas prices and grocery prices,” said Adams. “People can’t really afford to get things like headlights and tail lights fixed because they can be a little costly.”
Lights On! is a community-funded program that partners with law enforcement agencies and auto repair businesses to provide alternatives to officers issuing traffic citations for minor traffic violations.
For more information on Lights On! visit lightsonus.org.
