Third party citations give power to the people

7/24/2009 By Lance Cpl. Monica C. Erickson , Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. —Have you ever been driving aboard the Combat Center and witnessed a motorist doing something reckless, dangerous or outright illegal and wished a military police officer was around to pull the driver over?

The Provost Marshal’s Office has a program to help hold these reckless drivers accountable by letting fellow motorists report them to the traffic court office.

To report a third party citation, PMO requires a license plate number at least, but Capt. Scott Pryor, the services officer for PMO, said the more information PMO receives, the easierit will be to catch the offender.

“If they can give the race of the driver, and the color and make of the car, it will help us identify who was driving and issue the citation and take them to court,” said Pryor, a Cedar Hill, Texas, native. “This program gives a little assistance to the military policemen who are enforcing the laws and regulations aboard the base.”

Momo Johnson, a traffic court clerk for PMO, said before people report a violation they should be sure what they are reporting is necessary.

Just because someone is having a bad day and gets mad at the slow traffic, or is cut off doesn’t mean they need to be running to the traffic court to report it, Johnson said.

Pryor agreed with Johnson and said people should have a legitimate reason for reporting the incident and not report the incident they witness.

“When you submit a citation you have to go to court with the violator to back your report,” said Johnson, a Santa Clara, Calif., native. “So if it isn’t worth going to court for, you shouldn’t report it.”

If the person issuing a third party citation does not show up for the court date, the offender will not be charged.

Johnson suggests reporting important and dangerous things like road rage, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, reckless driving and improper wearing of personal protective equipment for motorcyclists to the traffic court. Anything more hazardous, such as drunk driving, should be reported to PMO immediately.

Pryor also said people should never confront an offender.

“You never know who you are going to run across and what they will do,” Pryor said. “Just get the information you can and keep driving.”

People should ensure they are not breaking any law and staying safe while collecting the information needed to report a third party citation.
For more information regarding third party citations, contact PMO’s traffic court at 830-5461.

Ellie