By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
Rather than giving out tickets to Oxford citizens with burned out vehicle lights, the Oxford Police Department is working with local repair shops to get those lights operational.
Earlier this week, OPD announced its “We Care Program,” where officers will hand out vouchers to drivers who have a defective bulb fixed at a local repair shop at no cost to the driver, up to $25.
Vouchers are good at Southland Body, Neal Hodge Automotive, Deal’s Auto Repair and Oxford Auto Care.
OPD Interim Chief Jeff McCutchen said the vouchers are only being given to the drivers of vehicles that are pulled over by law enforcement for having a broken light.
“A traffic stop can be tracked in our computer system,” he said. “If someone gets pulled over and does not use the voucher within 30 days and they get stopped again, then they might be cited.”
McCutchen said the goal of the program to help keep drivers safe.
“Our ultimate goal is to help our citizens by reducing those citations and give them a way to not be out of extra money (to fix the lights),” he said.
