tnpyeron3 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 In early January I got into an accicent in NE Pennsylvania. The local police respond and complete an accident report. So far, this seems normal. Fast forward to 2 days ago. I get a bill in the mail stating that I owe the Borough $268.38 for police services. 1 police vehicle - $218.68 1 police station prep - $29.82 1 police officer - $19.88 Apparently, (in certain towns in PA) if you are from out-of-state and the police respond to an accident you are in, you are going to get charged for their services. WTF!! Hopefully my insurance will cover this. If not, I guess I'm stuck paying it. Tip of the day: If you are an out-of-state driver in a vehicle accident in NE PA, and the police respond, ask if you are going to be billed before they start writing. Ughh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 I used to believe in the legal system. emphasis on the past tense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Where was it Dunmore Boro? They are trying this. It turned into a giant pissing match in the local paper. I thought they were going to eliminate it might want to check on it. Were you at fault and get cited too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franksremote Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 That's just BS. One usually has no option about police response and report generation, then to have them bill you without prior notification?!?! If it's not an option for them not to respond, it sounds like a nice scam to get extra money... Maybe there should be a schedule of fees posted on the side of the cruiser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Merricks Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 I'm not to sure I'd pay that one. The town I'm from does charge for negligent alarm calls after a certain amount but this is the first time I have heard of this for accidents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokshwn Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 It's actually a fairly common practice to charge those who come to your jurisdiction for services that they are not taxed for. Although the billing usually goes to the insurance company rather than the individual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 That's freakin' BS. What's up with those charges? It looks like they're "paying" their patrol cars a better hourly rate than their officers. I'm pretty sure it doesn't cost them $200 to run the car for a whole day, much less one call. If you get car-jacked while gassing up in their little hamlet do they charge you for that response too? They're already paying the cops to be on duty, so whether they're watching cars go by or filling out a report, the cost to the town is the same....annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 If you get car-jacked while gassing up in their little hamlet do they charge you for that response too? They're already paying the cops to be on duty, so whether they're watching cars go by or filling out a report, the cost to the town is the same....annoying. That's a Felony...they are going to have to ask for a deposit and run a credit check first for that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 (edited) In early January I got into an accicent in NE Pennsylvania.The local police respond and complete an accident report. So far, this seems normal. Fast forward to 2 days ago. I get a bill in the mail stating that I owe the Borough $268.38 for police services. 1 police vehicle - $218.68 1 police station prep - $29.82 1 police officer - $19.88 Apparently, (in certain towns in PA) if you are from out-of-state and the police respond to an accident you are in, you are going to get charged for their services. WTF!! Hopefully my insurance will cover this. If not, I guess I'm stuck paying it. Tip of the day: If you are an out-of-state driver in a vehicle accident in NE PA, and the police respond, ask if you are going to be billed before they start writing. Ughh! I don't think that the police anywhere should pull this crap on ANYONE. However, regarding your personal situation, are they aware that you are an FOP member? Moreover, they wrote: "1 police vehicle - $218.68, 1 police officer - $19.88" -if you are going to pay for those items, then I would INSIST that they deliver the police car, complete with one officer inside, to your house. After all, you DID pay for them. Edited April 14, 2007 by Carlos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Now wait a minute, they might have something here. I'm all for a pay for service system for police, fire, BATFE, heck, all government services. Do away with taxes and let the congress critters go home and make it all pay for service. [where's the evil grin smilie when you need one?] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnpyeron3 Posted April 14, 2007 Author Share Posted April 14, 2007 (edited) Where was it Dunmore Boro? They are trying this. It turned into a giant pissing match in the local paper. I thought they were going to eliminate it might want to check on it. Were you at fault and get cited too? As a matter of fact, it was Dunmore. The sad reality is that this town used to be my hometown. After checking with the Boro, the bill is still in effect. I was not cited and not at fault. The better part of this story is that the officer who showed up, I knew from high school. Carlos, Yes, they saw the FOP tags on my car. Yes, I am a cop. No, that didn't help. Also, I called and inquired with the Dept, and apparently I only RENTED the cruiser and officer. That would have been nice to car and officer dropped off, then I wouldn't have to go to work. Edited April 14, 2007 by tnpyeron3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcs Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Where was it Dunmore Boro? They are trying this. It turned into a giant pissing match in the local paper. I thought they were going to eliminate it might want to check on it. Were you at fault and get cited too? As a matter of fact, it was Dunmore. The sad reality is that this town used to be my hometown. After checking with the Boro, the bill is still in effect. I was not cited and not at fault. The better part of this story is that the officer who showed up, I knew from high school. Carlos, Yes, they saw the FOP tags on my car. Yes, I am a cop. No, that didn't help. Also, I called and inquired with the Dept, and apparently I only RENTED the cruiser and officer. That would have been nice to car and officer dropped off, then I wouldn't have to go to work. Who called the accident in? If you did, that is why you got the bill. I would think your insurance company would take it up with the at fault insurance company or you could take the at fault person to small claims court and easily win. The bill is a direct result of an accident caused by another. Just my two cents worth. Good luck. Things just arn't right in this world these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markm Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 The Inmates are running the Asylum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Murphy Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 There was a big thing in the paper a few months ago where the towns in Pa doing this are being shut down one by one by lawsuits, and there may be a lawsuit in state court over it. the paper said something about how to get out of paying it IIRC. not sure where you could look it up, maybe http://www.phillynews.com might have it. Ted Here is one article, there were others in a different paper but I don't remember where. \ http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20070212..._services_.html Radnor Township commissioners will no longer charge out-of-town motorists involved in traffic accidents for police services, but stopped short of offering to give back the money that they have collected so far. Saying the plan was "an idea whose time has not yet come," Commission president Hank Mahoney proposed at a board meeting tonight the repeal of an ordinance authorizing Cost Recovery Corp. of Ohio to bill insurance companies for the time that police spent investigating traffic accidents involving non-residents. All the commissioners said they supported ending the unpopular and controversial ordinance. It was enacted last April to minimize an expected tax increase but brought nothing but bad publicity to the affluent Delaware County township. Although Cost Recovery Corp. said reimbursements would come through insurance companies, motorists said Radnor police and CRC told them they had to pay the bills when the insurance companies refused. The commissioners said they never meant to have individuals pay the bills. They had hoped that they could recoup the cost of police services at large accident scenes from insurance companies. Instead, drivers were hit up for bills in the hundreds of dollars. "Obviously, this ordinance was not functioning the way this board intended," said Mahoney, though he defended the law as "legally sound." Commissioner William Spingler said that Radnor collected $40,000 and that the township solicitor was investigating whether it should be returned. That prompted Commissioner Dave Cannan to propose that the board authorize an immediate refund. "My gut feeling is these people need to be paid back," he said, but he failed to get the support of the rest of the board. Several people spoke out against the ordinance, including Radnor resident Sara Pilling, who said she tells her three adult children, who live in another town, to travel through Lower Merion to reach her house. "It was an extremely poor matter of judgment and I'm really sorry you did it," she told the board. The ordinance repeal will be voted on at the board's Feb. 26 meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STInky Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 (edited) Now I've heard it all.......Being a fellow officer, I can think of several instances where that type of system would be beneficial. It would stop all of the nonsense, repeat calls to the people who think they can't get along with out some police guidance every day!!! But as far as billing folks for an accident, that's rediculous. I wonder where the money actually goes ??? A city fund, officers payroll, retirement fund.....good question. I will add that a very small portion of every traffic citation we write goes to the State Police retirement system, I believe it's $5.00 per ticket. It's not like I'm going to get rich by writing more tickets or taking more reports, but my wife does get a new toaster if I can write 10 in one day !!!!! Edited April 15, 2007 by STInky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
996fan2007 Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 You know, there are times when I think this law might not be too bad . . . as long as I had the option to exercise self-help and mete out justice in a matter I deem fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSCHIEFEN Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 You know, there are times when I think this law might not be too bad . . . as long as I had the option to exercise self-help and mete out justice in a matter I deem fit. IF THE POLICE RESPOND TO A MEDICAL EMERGENCY TO "ASSIST AT THE SCENE", DO THEY SENT A BILL TO THE INJURED PARTY? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcarter Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 I have never heard of such a thing. PLEASE don't say anything to Cincinnati city cousel, they will think "What a great idea". I would talk to my lawer before I paid it! But if it turns out you have to pay it then pay it. If you don't your home state could suspend your license until you pay it and then make you pay a re-instatement fee on top of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnpyeron3 Posted April 26, 2007 Author Share Posted April 26, 2007 My insurance company said that they would take care of it. They claim that they will not pay it and they would make sure that I don't have to pay it either. They explained that this is a scam that some boro's are trying to raise more money. The way they figure it, about 50% of the people will pay and 50% won't. Apparently, there is a legal fight over this and it looks like it won't go. Still, it's a PITA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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