Policy Text
CONCORD POLICE DEPARTMENT
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
CITATIONS
GENERAL ORDER: 09.07 CREATED: December 1, 2000 ISSUE DATE: June 12, 2023
CALEA STANDARD: 82.3.4 EFFECTIVE DATE: June 12, 2023
ACTION: Amends general order dated October 1, 2022 .
09.07 .0 PURPOSE
The purpose of this general order shall be to establish policy and procedures for the
issuance and accountability of all North Carolina uniform, parking , and cruising citations
received and issued by the Concord Police Department.
09.07 .1 POLICY
It shall be the policy of the Concord Police Department to issue citations accurately and
only when appropriate to do so for a proper law enforcement purpose, for violations of
state law , and city ordinances.
09.07 .2 UNIFORM CITATION
A. The North Carolina uniform citation is utilized by the department for the enforcement
of motor vehicle laws and selected criminal offenses.
B. The Cabarrus County Clerk of Court’s office serves as the distributing agency for the
uniform citation for Cabarrus County. Pursuant to provisions imposed by the
Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and the state auditor’s office, the clerk’s
office must account for all citation s issued to agencies in their respective
jurisdictions.
1. The Cabarrus County Clerk of Court’s office requires persons picking up citation
books to sign a ledger acknowledging receipt of same.
2. Citation books received from the clerk’s office shall be delivered to the
Customer Service Unit for record keeping and issuance to personnel.
3. Citation books shall be stored in the Customer Service Unit, which is a secure
area.
4. The Customer Service Unit shall record the numbers of all citation books
received from the clerk’s office in the Records Management System (RMS) .
5. Citation books shall be issued to sworn coworkers on an as needed basis by a
member of the Customer Service Unit .
6. A member of the Customer Service Unit shall record all issued citation books
in RMS.
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7. Citation books shall be returned to a member of the Customer Service Unit and
marked returned in RMS. Citation books shall be checked by a member of the
Customer Service Unit to ensure that all copies of used or voided citations are
attached. The Customer Service Unit shall direct all used citation books to the
Clerk of Court’s office.
a. Coworkers returning used citation books to the clerk’s office shall initial
the clerk’s Uniform Citation Log Book indicating that the books have been
returned.
8. Citation books may be reissued to sworn coworkers until all the citations in a
book have been used .
C. Uniform Citations shall be c ompleted in accordance with NCG S 15A -302.
D. Issued citations shall be distributed as follows:
1. The original (white) and first copy shall be turned in to the Customer Service
Unit.
2. The second copy (pink) is delivered to the defendant at the time the citation is
issued.
3. The third copy (yellow) shall remain in the citation book and is the
accountability copy for the courts.
4. The fourth copy (white) shall be retained by the issuing sworn coworker for
court.
E. Citations that are voided shall remain in the citation book (al l copies). The word
“void” shall be written across the citation with a signed explanation by the voiding
sworn coworker and his/her immediate supervisor.
F. When all the citations have been issued , the citation book, containing the yellow
copy of the ci tations, and all copies of voided citations shall be returned to the
Customer Service Unit.
G. Sworn coworkers who separate from the department shall return their citation book
to their supervisor on or before their employment termination date.
H. Citations issue d for motor vehicle infractions, not involving physical arrest, sworn
coworkers may place a description, date of birth of the person cited, and the OCA
number of the incident on the face of the citation in lieu of completing an arrest
form.
09.07 .3 PARKING CITATIONS
A. Sworn coworkers and the parking enforcement coworker(s) shall obtain parking
citation books from the Customer Service Unit.
B. All parking citations shall be printed in clear, concise letters. Writing shall be done
with enough pressure to print legible copies.
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C. The citation shall be placed by the issuing sworn coworker or parking enforcement
coworker in a conspicuous place where the driver can observe the citation upon
approaching or entering the vehicle. The citation shall be placed in a manner as to
call immediate attention to the operator.
D. The original copy (white copy) of the citation shall be submitted to the Customer
Service Unit prior to the end of the issuing coworker ’s shift . The carbon copy shall
be placed on the vehicle.
F. All copies of soiled or defaced citations shall be submitted by the coworker to the
Customer Service Unit for void ance.
09.07 .4 CRUISING CITATIONS
A. Cruising citations shall be issued after a vehicle passes the same traffic control point
three or more times within a two hour pe riod from 6:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., Monday
through Sunday in or around a posted no cruising