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Frequently Asked Questions:
Arlington, Texas
Automated Red Light Enforcement Program |
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Contact Phone number:
1-866-790-4111
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What do I do if I receive a Notice of Violation?
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How much is the civil penalty?
The civil penalty is $75 for each offense.
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How much time do I have to pay my Notice of Violation?
You must pay the civil penalty on or before the due date on your
Notice of Violation. The due date for payment is located on the
top and bottom right of your Notice of Violation. A late fee will be assessed if the
penalty is not paid by the due date on the Notice of
Violation.
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What are my options?
There are three options. |
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1. Pay $75 penalty. |
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- Pay Online. Logon to
www.ViolationInfo.com by entering your Notice
number and PIN shown in the red box on the
front right of your Notice. Click the Pay button.
There is a convenience fee of $4.00 that will be
assessed at the time of payment.
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- Pay by Mail. Mail your check or money
order (payable to the City of Arlington, Texas) in
the enclosed envelope along with the coupon printed
at the bottom of the notice. The mailing address is:
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City of Arlington, Texas
Automated Red Light Enforcement
P.O. Box 742503
Cincinnati, OH 45274-2503 |
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- Pay by Phone. Call toll free
1-866-790-4111. There is a convenience fee of $4.00 that
will be assessed at the time of payment.
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- Pay in Person. You may pay in person with
check or money order, made payable to the City of
Arlington, at the Arlington Police Department, 620
W. Division St., Arlington, TX 76011, between 8:00
a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding
City holidays. Payments may
be deposited in the drop box located inside the
lobby 24 hours, 7 days a week. A second drop box is
located inside the municipal court at the City
Office Tower, 101 S. Mesquite St., Arlington, TX
76010 and is available between the hours of 7:00
a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding
City holidays.
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2. Contest the Notice of Violation.
You have the right to contest the imposition of the civil penalty by requesting, in writing, an administrative hearing by the due date. You must request an administrative hearing by signing the coupon on the back of the Notice of Violation and mailing it so that it is received by the due date on the Notice. You will be notified in writing of the date, time and location of the hearing. If you are found liable after the administrative hearing or you request a hearing but fail to appear at the time and place of the hearing, you will be liable for the amount of the penalty. If you are found liable for the civil penalty after an administrative hearing, you shall pay the civil penalty within 30 days of the determination of liability. |
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3. Submit an Affidavit of
Non-Ownership.
If at the time and place of the violation, the vehicle was being
operated by a person other than the owner, the owner may
complete an Affidavit of Non-Ownership for one of the following
reasons:
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a. |
vehicle was sold prior to the date and time of the
violation (must include bill of sale or other supporting
documentation); |
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b. |
vehicle had been reported stolen (must include copy
of police report); |
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c. |
vehicle had been rented or leased from a company in
the business of renting or leasing vehicles (include
rental/lease agreement); or |
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d. |
vehicle was owned by a governmental entity. |
You may obtain an Affidavit of
Non-Ownership by visiting
www.ViolationInfo.com or at the Arlington Police Department,
620 W. Division St., Arlington, Texas 76011. This affidavit must
be filled out accurately and in its entirety, and it must be
notarized. You may submit the completed, signed and notarized Affidavit in any of the following ways before the due
date that appears on the front of your Notice of Violation: |
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- Mail it to the Arlington Police Department,
Automated Red Light Enforcement, P.O. Box 1065,
Arlington, TX 76004-1065; or
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- Fax it to the Arlington Police Department at
817-459-5669; or
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- Bring it to the Arlington Police Department (click
here for map), 620 W. Division St., Arlington,
TX 76011. A notary is available on
site.
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If you are a rental car company or in the business of leasing vehicles,
send a letter providing the name and address of the driver or lessee,
along with a copy of the Notice, by the due date on the Notice of Violation to: |
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- Violation Processing Center, PO Box 59995, Phoenix, AZ 85076-9995
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Visit
www.ViolationInfo.com to view information about your
Notice of Violation. You will be asked to enter your
Notice number and PIN which are found on the
front of your Warning or Notice of Violation, in the
upper right corner, inside the red box. By clicking
on the above graphic you will leave the City of
Arlington Web site. |
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Why has the City of Arlington decided to
implement the Safe Stop Arlington Automated Red Light
Enforcement Program?
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According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,
annually nearly 2 million crashes occur in intersections. In
2005, red light running resulted in 800 fatalities and over
165,000 injuries.
It is believed that an automated red light camera program, the
Stop Safe Arlington program, will reduce the number of red light
collisions and injuries associated with such crashes. The
purpose of this program is to increase traffic safety in the
City of Arlington. The goal of the program is to reduce red
light running violations, red light crashes, and red light
injury crashes without impacting city funds. |
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What is a red light running violation?
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A red light running violation occurs when a motorist enters
an intersection after the traffic signal has turned red.
Motorists already in the intersection when the signal changes to
red, when waiting to turn for example, are not red
light violators.
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TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE 544.007. TRAFFIC-CONTROL
SIGNALS IN GENERAL.
(d) An operator of a vehicle facing
only a steady red signal shall stop at a clearly marked stop
line. In the absence of a stop line, the operator shall stop
before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the
intersection. A vehicle that is not turning shall remain
standing until an indication to proceed is shown. After
stopping, standing until the intersection may be entered safely,
and yielding right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully in an
adjacent crosswalk and other traffic lawfully using the
intersection, the operator may turn right.
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Where are the automated red light cameras
located?
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Cameras are installed at 20
intersections based on crash and violation statistics compiled
by the Arlington Police Department. Each intersection will be
clearly marked with signs.
Intersections in the City to be equipped with red light camera
systems are: |
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| 287 Frontage Rd @ Little |
287 Frontage Rd @ Sublett |
Collins @ Lamar (2) |
| Collins @ Pioneer (2) |
Collins @ Sublett |
Cooper @ Division |
| Cooper @ Green Oaks |
Cooper @ Main |
Cooper @ Mayfield |
| Cooper @ Park Row (2) |
Cooper @ Pioneer (2) |
Cooper @ Road to Six Flags |
| Cooper @ Sublett |
Fielder @ Randol Mill |
Green Oaks @ Pleasant Ridge |
| Little @ Poly Webb |
Matlock @ Arbrook |
Pioneer @ Browning |
| Watson @ Avenue H |
Watson @ Six Flags |
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Why did I receive this Notice of Violation?
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Based upon images captured by the automated system, your
vehicle was determined to have committed a red light violation.
As the registered owner of the vehicle, the Notice of Violation
was mailed
to you.
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If I am in the intersection when the light is
yellow and the light changes to red, will I receive a Notice of
Violation?
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No. The automated system only becomes active once the red
light is showing. It will not capture a vehicle if the vehicle
enters the intersection prior to the light changing to red. If
you entered the intersection on yellow, it is legal to clear the
intersection if the light turned red while you were still in the
intersection.
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What happens if I ignore the Notice of
Violation?
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Failure to pay the civil penalty or to contest liability by the due date on
the Notice is an admission of liability. Failure to appear at an administrative
hearing after having requested a hearing is an admission of liability and constitutes
a waiver of the right to appeal. Failure to pay the civil penalty by the due date on
the Notice of Violation shall result in a late-payment fee of $25. If the second notice
remains unpaid, the notice will be sent to collections and may also result in the County
Tax Assessor-Collector refusing to register the alleged vehicle.
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driving record for this violation?
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No, the civil penalty will not be recorded on the registered owner’s driving record.
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Will my insurance rates be affected?
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No, the civil penalty will not affect your insurance. |
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Will an arrest warrant be issued?
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No, a warrant for arrest will not be issued, as this is a civil violation and not a criminal offense. |
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Will the red light cameras take a picture of
the driver of the vehicle?
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No, It is a civil penalty assessed against the registered owner of the vehicle;
it is not a criminal violation. Similar to a parking ticket, there is no need to
identify the driver and therefore, no need to capture the image of the driver. |
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What if I was issued a citation from an
officer for the same offense?
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The citation issued by a police officer takes precedence over an automated Notice of Violation.
You must request an administrative hearing and bring both the citation and the Notice of Violation
with you to the hearing. The hearing officer will take the appropriate action.
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I have received multiple Notices of
Violation; do I have to send in a separate payment for each?
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No, you may send one check in one envelope; however, you must include payment coupons for each
Notice of Violation you received. If you received three violation notices, you may send in one check
with three coupons and each Notice number written on your check. |
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What if my check bounces?
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You will be responsible for a returned check fee of $25.00 in addition to any late fees and the
original fine amount. You will receive a letter from the City of Arlington detailing the new amount due.
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Can I get an extension or set up a payment plan?
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No, extensions and payment plans are not available. There is a five-day grace period after the due date before a late fee will be added.
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My payment has already been sent; will I
still be charged late fees?
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Late fees will be assessed if your payment is not RECEIVED
by the due date. Please mail your payment at least 10 days
before the due date. Other options, which do not require as much
lead time, include payment by Visa, MasterCard or e-check over
the telephone (1-866-790-4111) or online at
www.violationinfo.com. You may also pay in person at the
Arlington Police Department at 620 W. Division St., Arlington,
TX 76011; however, debit and credit cards cannot be accepted at
the Arlington Police Department.
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I paid the violation; why did I receive
another Notice?
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The Notice you just received could be for additional
violations or it could be a second notice which is now a
Delinquent Notice. If it is a Delinquent Notice, chances are
that your payment and the Notice crossed in the mail. It can
take as many as 10 business days to show in the system once it
has reached our office. Call 1-866-790-4111 to confirm that your
payment was received.
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I do not believe I ran a red light. How can I view the images and video?
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Log on to
www.ViolationInfo.com. To log on to the site you must enter the Notice Number and the PIN located at the top right of your Notice of Violation.
If you do not have Internet access, you may visit the Arlington Police Department at 620 W. Division, Arlington, TX 76011 to view the images and video.
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I do not believe I ran a red light and want to discuss my case with someone.
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To contest the violation, you must request an administrative hearing in writing on or before the due date
listed on the top and bottom right of your notice of violation. To request a hearing sign the coupon located
on the bottom of your notice of violation and mail it in the envelope provided. You will receive a letter in
the mail stating the date and time you are scheduled to appear. A hearing takes about 15 minutes to conduct.
Hearings are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7:40 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. at the Arlington
Police Department, 620 W. Division, Arlington, TX 76011.
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What is an administrative hearing?
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An administrative hearing is an opportunity in which you may appear in
front of a city-appointed hearing officer and discuss the circumstances surrounding
your Notice of Violation. As detailed in the ordinance section below, you may schedule a
hearing to contest the imposition of the civil penalty.
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Is there an extra fee for an administrative hearing?
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No, there is no extra cost to schedule an administrative hearing. A person who is found
liable after an administrative hearing or who requests an administrative hearing and fails to appear at
the time and place of the hearing is responsible for the civil penalty of $75 and shall pay that amount
within 30 days of the hearing date.
If, however, after an administrative hearing, you are found not liable, no penalty will be assessed.
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Do I have to pay the fee on the day of the hearing?
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No, you have 30 days from the date of a liable judgment to pay the penalty. |
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Can I request an administrative hearing over the phone?
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No, all requests must be in writing.
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I am Handicapped and unable to appear for my hearing.
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You must appear or have legal counsel appear on your behalf for an administrative hearing. Hearings are conducted at the Arlington Police Department located at 620 W. Division St., Arlington, TX 76011.
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Can someone else attend the hearing on my
behalf?
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No, only the person(s) named on the Notice of Violation and/or their legal counsel
may appear at an administrative hearing.
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Under what circumstances can a Notice of
Violation be
dismissed?
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The City of Arlington Ordinance No. 06-074 provides the following affirmative defenses:
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the traffic-control signal was not in proper
position and sufficiently legible to an ordinarily
observant person;
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the operator of the motor vehicle was acting in
compliance with the lawful order or direction of a
police officer;
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the operator of the motor vehicle violated the
instructions of the traffic-control signal so as to
yield the right-of-way to an immediately approaching
authorized emergency vehicle;
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the motor vehicle was being operated as an
authorized emergency vehicle under Chapter 546 of the
Texas Transportation Code and that the operator was
acting in compliance with that Chapter;
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the motor vehicle was a stolen vehicle and being
operated by a person other than the owner of the vehicle
without the effective consent of the owner;
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the license plate depicted in the recorded image of
the violation was a stolen plate and being displayed on
a motor vehicle other than the motor vehicle for which
the plate had been issued;
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the presence of ice, snow, unusual amounts of rain
or other unusually hazardous road conditions existed
that would make compliance with this article more
dangerous under the circumstances than non-compliance. |
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To demonstrate that at the time of the violation the motor
vehicle was a stolen vehicle or the license plate displayed on
the motor vehicle was a stolen plate, the owner must submit
proof acceptable to the hearing officer that the theft of the
vehicle or license plate had been timely reported to the
appropriate law enforcement agency.
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Can I appeal the Administrative Hearing Officer’s decision?
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Yes, you may appeal the hearing officer's decision by filing a Notice of Appeal and a Statement of Personal Financial Obligation with the Arlington Police Department at 620 W. Division, Arlington, TX 76011. The Statement of Personal Financial Obligation must be notarized. Both completed forms must be submitted within 30 days of the hearing date. If these documents are not filed timely, your right to appeal is waived and payment will be due within 30 days of the hearing date.
Click to download appeal documents:
Notice of Appeal
Statement of Personal Financial Obligation
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What is an appeal? |
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A person who is found liable after an administrative hearing may
appeal that finding of civil liability to the Municipal Court of the
City of Arlington within 30 days of the date on which the Administrative
Hearing Officer entered the finding of liable. An appeal shall be
determined by the Municipal Court by trial de novo, or with no jury.
Any evidence submitted at the Administrative Hearing shall be admitted
by the Municipal Judge in the trial de novo, and the facts must be proven
by a preponderance of the evidence.
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How do I know that these violations are
valid?
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Images of your vehicle were captured and recorded by an Automated
Intersection Safety System. The images and video of the actual violation
may be viewed online at
www.ViolationInfo.com. The images and video were
reviewed by qualified technicians and by the Arlington Police Department
before the alleged civil infraction was affirmed and mailed to you as the
registered owner or identified driver.
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Will an unpaid red light camera violation
affect my vehicle registration?
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Yes, if your violation fees remain unpaid after your account goes to a
collection agency, the Arlington Police Department will submit
your information to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
(TxDMV) and a scofflaw hold will be placed on your vehicle
registration until all delinquent fees are paid. |
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How can a scofflaw hold be removed from my vehicle registration record?
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All delinquent red light camera fees with the City of Arlington must be paid in full.
At the beginning of each month, the Arlington Police Department will notify TxDMV of all
accounts that were paid in the previous month and request that the scofflaw hold be removed.
If you need to renew your vehicle registration prior to that time, the Arlington Police
Department will issue a Certificate of Release. This certificate can be presented to the
local tax assessor or TxDMV office to renew your vehicle registration. |
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Can I renew my vehicle registration online once I obtain a Certificate of Release?
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No. You must go to your local tax assessor or DMV office to renew your vehicle registration. |
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How can I obtain a Certificate of Release?
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Once payment has been made for all delinquent violations affecting the same vehicle,
a Certificate of Release can be obtained at the Arlington Police Department,
620 W. Division Street, Arlington, TX 76011 or by calling 817-459-5645 for the release
to be faxed or emailed. |
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If I pay my delinquent fees online or by phone, will my scofflaw hold be removed automatically?
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No. You will need to contact the Arlington Police Department at 817-459-5645 the next business day
after making your payment to obtain a Certificate of Release. Once payment has been confirmed,
the certificate can be either faxed or emailed. |
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Will the Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office have any details on the scofflaw hold issued by the City of Arlington?
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No. Other than the scofflaw remark shown on your vehicle registration record
(City Scofflaw: Arlington PD-RLC), the ax Assessor-Collector’s Office has no
information on the City of Arlington red light camera violations. You would
need to contact customer service (1-866-790-4111) or the Automated Red Light
Enforcement Unit at the Arlington Police Department (1-817-459-5645) for more information. |
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What company provides the red light camera
program in Arlington?
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The City of Arlington has contracted with American Traffic Solutions Inc. (ATS)
to provide the Automated Red Light Enforcement program. ATS will install and maintain
all equipment related to this program and process violations captured by the equipment.
ATS is a leading provider of technology and business solutions that support electronic
toll and traffic management programs worldwide. For more information about ATS,
log on to
www.atsol.com. |
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How does an intersection safety camera work?
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First image:
The "A" shot is captured from the rear approach showing: the
scene of the violation including the back of the violating
vehicle in front of the stop line; one or more visible red light
signals.
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Second image: The "B" shot is also captured from
the rear approach showing: the scene of the violation including
the back of the violating vehicle after the rear axle has
crossed the stop line and the vehicle has illegally entered the
intersection; one or more visible red light signals; and a clear
image of the license plate of the offending vehicle.
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License plate close-up:
A magnified "crop" of the license plate is created from one of
the two images for easy viewing.
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Does the city use radar technology for red light camera violations?
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Yes. At some intersections, a 3-D radar device is utilized strictly to sensor, track and measure vehicles approaching the intersection to anticipate a red light violation and trigger the camera.
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