For a town with barely 1,600 people, Arcade sure seems to get a lot of legal attention. The police department in the Jackson County community has been investigated twice within the past decade by the Georgia State Patrol following motorists' complaints that it was running a speed trap and issuing illegal speeding tickets to enhance city revenues and augment its own budget.
And now -- again. The most recent investigation began just last week after a Nicholson resident filed a formal complaint stating that he and his wife have been subject to harassment by the Arcade Police Department. The man has been stopped five times within the past three years, and his wife twice, and he says that all the tickets they have received are bogus.
A State Patrol spokesman says that the investigation of the speed trap -- which allegedly runs along U.S. Highway 129 -- will likely take a few months to complete.
If the results support the accusations, Arcade could be penalized by losing its radar permit. "I'm not worried," says Police Chief Randy Williams. "I will tell you that."
The State Patrol defines a speed trap as a town where at least 40 percent of the budget for the police force comes from money paid to settle speeding tickets. In the two prior investigations of Arcade -- in 2003 and 2005 -- money received did not come close to approaching that threshold.
The city is also the defendant in a lawsuit filed recently by a resident who says he was illegally stopped for driving too slowly. He said that foggy conditions required a reduced speed, and he is suing Arcade for unlawful detention.
An experienced traffic violations attorney can provide a diligent defense in any case involving speeding or another traffic charge.
Related Resource: www.onlineathens.com "Patrol probes new Arcade speed complaint" March 30, 2011
